Question:

I am a 23 year old Belgian girl, suffering already 5 years from IBS. The last year has been very bad for me. My biggest problem is the frequent diarrhea ( Imodium, Imodium, Imodium, ..). But also the fear of having an attack is always there.It’s so bad right now that I barely come out of the house anymore. If I really have to go out, I am feeling very, very sick ( diarrhea and nausea ). I had to quit my study, I couldn’t cope with the exams and the stress. I can’t work. Nobody believes that. Even the doctors say there is nothing fysical wrong with me. But I feel so damn sick every second of every day ! I have no friends anymore. That’s not really a surprise. I can’t enjoy myself, I don’t want to eat in public. I even don’t eat at home if I am not alone. For me: eating is being sick. I barely eat anything. Isn’t there a good medication that helps for IBS and especially for nervous diarrhea ?  The doctors say that it doesn’t exist and that I just have to learn to live with it. I take Xanax for the anxiety ( it doesn’t work). I’ve already tried two antidepressants: Cipramil and Paxil, but they made me so ill I had to stop taking it. On bad days I am taking Duspatal, Spasmomen or Dicetel. But neither of them works for me. And of course ther is also my dear friend Imodium. It can’t go on like this. I don’t call this a life anymore, it’s hell. But what more can I try??? P.S.  I’ve also had those terrible medical tests in hospital. Nothing special was found. I have had IBS since age 16 when it wad first diagnosed. Sometimes I find that  the stress of worrying that an attack will come, in and of itself brings it  on! Its a lose-lose situation. Lately I have found that meditation helps me a lot. Also the exercises I  learned years ago in Lamaze class. DEEP breathing through the nose, hold it  for a bit, then exhale through the mouth, helps at least while in the midst of  an attack. BTW here in the USA we have generic brands of Imodium which I stock  up on (since its cheaper and I use so much of it!) Maybe those of us with IBS  need to buy stock in the company <sigh

.

I wish there were more I could tell you to do! Avoiding greasy foods helps too,  since for me, those + stress= IBS! Annette Note: To prevent spam, this address does not accept e-mail. To send me e-mail,  write to me at A76898…@rocketmail.com

Response:

I am a 23 year old Belgian girl, suffering already 5 years from IBS. The last year has been very bad for me. My biggest problem is the frequent diarrhea ( Imodium, Imodium, Imodium, ..). But also the fear of having an attack is always there.It’s so bad right now that I barely come out of the house anymore. If I really have to go out, I am feeling very, very sick ( diarrhea and nausea ). I had to quit my study, I couldn’t cope with the exams and the stress. I can’t work. Nobody believes that. Even the doctors say there is nothing fysical wrong with me. But I feel so damn sick every second of every day ! I have no friends anymore. That’s not really a surprise. I can’t enjoy myself, I don’t want to eat in public. I even don’t eat at home if I am not alone. For me: eating is being sick. I barely eat anything. Isn’t there a good medication that helps for IBS and especially for nervous diarrhea ?  The doctors say that it doesn’t exist and that I just have to learn to live with it. I take Xanax for the anxiety ( it doesn’t work). I’ve already tried two antidepressants: Cipramil and Paxil, but they made me so ill I had to stop taking it. On bad days I am taking Duspatal, Spasmomen or Dicetel. But neither of them works for me. And of course ther is also my dear friend Imodium. It can’t go on like this. I don’t call this a life anymore, it’s hell. But what more can I try??? P.S.  I’ve also had those terrible medical tests in hospital. Nothing special was found.

Response:

Your story is very much like mine!!…Please read "My Story" on my web site. On 28 Sep 1997 20:35:52 GMT, "kathia" <buyens.kat…@medisoft.be

wrote:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -

I am a 23 year old Belgian girl, suffering already 5 years from IBS. The last year has been very bad for me. My biggest problem is the frequent diarrhea ( Imodium, Imodium, Imodium, ..). But also the fear of having an attack is always there.It’s so bad right now that I barely come out of the house anymore. If I really have to go out, I am feeling very, very sick ( diarrhea and nausea ). I had to quit my study, I couldn’t cope with the exams and the stress. I can’t work. Nobody believes that. Even the doctors say there is nothing fysical wrong with me. But I feel so damn sick every second of every day ! I have no friends anymore. That’s not really a surprise. I can’t enjoy myself, I don’t want to eat in public. I even don’t eat at home if I am not alone. For me: eating is being sick. I barely eat anything. Isn’t there a good medication that helps for IBS and especially for nervous diarrhea ?  The doctors say that it doesn’t exist and that I just have to learn to live with it. I take Xanax for the anxiety ( it doesn’t work). I’ve already tried two antidepressants: Cipramil and Paxil, but they made me so ill I had to stop taking it. On bad days I am taking Duspatal, Spasmomen or Dicetel. But neither of them works for me. And of course ther is also my dear friend Imodium. It can’t go on like this. I don’t call this a life anymore, it’s hell. But what more can I try??? P.S.  I’ve also had those terrible medical tests in hospital. Nothing special was found.

Steven S. Palmer <sput…@gte.net

http://home1.gte.net/sputers/index.html http://www.geocities.com/HotSprings/Spa/4001/ ——————————————- Key ID 0×69D430FB Key fingerprint = A706 43EC 13B6 D8E4 9F19  F2D4 63A8 E71D 69D4 30FB Public Key located in the Public Key Directory at:               <http://www.pgp.com/

or e-mail with Public Key as the subject line – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - "I’m sick and tired of having to rearrange my life     because of what the STUPIDEST people *might* do or     how they *might* react."        – Bill Maher

Response:

On 28 Sep 1997 20:35:52 GMT, "kathia" <buyens.kat…@medisoft.be

wrote: I had to quit my study, I couldn’t cope with the exams and the stress.

You will see below that stress is the third most common diagnosis before a celiac diagnosis. I suggest a strict trial gluten-free diet. Top 20 Diagnoses Before a Diagnosis of Celiac Disease 1.  Anemia 2.  IBS 3.  Psychological stress, nerves, imagination 4.  Diarrhea 5.  IBD 6.  Diabetes 7.  Spastic Colon 8.  Ulcers 9.  Virus (Viral Gastroenteritis) 10. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome 11. Weight-loss 12. Allergies 13. Amoeba, Parasites, Infection 14. Gallbladder Disease 15. Thyroid Disease 16. Cancer, Lymphoma, Digestive 17. Colitis 18. Cystic Fibrosis 19. Lactose Intolerance 20. Reflux Data from an on-going Celiac Disease Foundation study of 600 Biopsy-proven celiacs. Taken from the Fall 1996 CDF Newsletter. CDF can be reached at:  Celiac Disease Foundation  13251 Ventura Blvd. Suite 1  Studio City, CA  91604-1838  818-990-2354. Newsletter subscriptions are sent to members, and membership is a $35 tax-deductible contribution per year. For more information on gluten intolerance see this page of annotated links:   The Gluten-Free Page:  http://www.panix.com/~donwiss/ Don.

Response:

Question:

                        Stokes                         P.O. Box 548                         Buffalo, NY  14240-0548                         Tel (716) 695-6980

Response:

Sounds good!  Can someone give me a phone or fax number or address so I can request a catalog? I absolutely agree about Stokes.  The catalog is so good it is like a reference book.  The variety is unbeatable, and quality is excellent.  Is their new catalog out yet??

–         http://www.rtis.com/reg/bryan/communit/facility/ @

Question:

Just buy a separate voltage converter (what the heck are those things called?..someone help me) that will enable you to use your nebulizer, hairdryer, etc. when in Europe. They are not expensive. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’m going to Europe for 3 weeks in June.  I’ve had severe asthma for my whole life (50, now) that’s usually under control with Albuterol, Serevent, and Flovent.  I’ll be taking those medihalers with me, but, thought it might be wise to take some kind of portable nebulizer and some albuterol solution just in case. I assume I’m looking for a battery powered ultrasonic one, but, was wondering if there’s one with a transformer/recharger that works with the European voltages (220 VAC/50Hz).  I’ll be traveling in France, Germany, and Italy. Thanks!

Response:

I know in England that Omeron does a battery one for

Question:

Bill has probably posted relevant, pertinent cites, but I’m wondering if someone might be able to either a) point me in the direction of info. on these meds, particularly the new one, singulair, and how they work, versus how steriods work, what’s the downside etc., or b)  summarize the info. in relatively easy to understand, non-jargonese.  Thanks a lot. Merril, writing from  where it’s -25 still, but warm enough that my cold induced attacks have stopped — and which I won’t seek advice on again since starting the last match.

Response:

Bill has probably posted relevant, pertinent cites, but I’m wondering if someone might be able to either a) point me in the direction of info. on these meds, particularly the new one, singulair, and how they work, versus how steriods work, what’s the downside etc., or b)  summarize the info. in relatively easy to understand, non-jargonese.  Thanks a lot.

You can try:http://www.ama-assn.org/special/asthma/treatmnt/guide/guidelin/comp3/… A promotional site for Accolate (which is similar to Singular) is at: http://www.ama-assn.org/special/asthma/zeneca/about/default.htm This has information on Leukotrines and Leukotrine receptor agonists (Singulair is a Lueknotine receptor agonist).

Response:

Question:

Maybe your son should try inhalers with a spacer if he is old enough.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hello everyone, This is my first post to this newsgroup — thanks for the warm welcome! My son has asthma and requires 2-3 nebulizer treatments a day.   We’d like to find an easier alternative than lugging around his bulky nebulizer machine and trying to locate AC power when traveling.   Has anyone here tried the Medisana Ultrasonic Nebulizer (http://www.shoplifestyleonline.com/md811.html)?   Are you happy with it? I can’t seem to find any details on the portable nebulizer.  It says that we’ll get about 3 treatments from a single charge — I’m assuming his has an AC cord for recharging? Thanks! – Kendall F. Stratton III Fort Fairfield, Maine USA http://home.maine.rr.com/k3 "The Mind, once stretched by an empowering idea, can never fully shrink back to it’s original dimensions." –

Response:

Acknowledged, I may have made an unwise generalization here.  For a child unable to use an MDI/spacer/DPI properly a nebulizer _may_ be necessary. "Generally" people using nebs a lot are using them with bronchodilators; if so this is more appropriately addressed some other way. Cromolyn is a safe alternative and if effective is a good way to go. It also needs multiple daily treatments to be effective; hence your treatment program with the neb. If that program is working for you without serious problems or relapses than on the surface it appears sound. I know people can get kind of touchy on these sites. I don’t contribute often since there is a fair amount of good advice here. My primary point was actually the battery issue and maybe I should have stuck to that. Whenever you give a snippet of advice on an incomplete subject there is the risk of missing some significant information. A full asthma instruction set takes 6+ hours for a patient and myself. Even then I expect most people only get 20-30% of the information, but that’s usually 29% more than they had before and doesn’t include correcting misconceptions. Fritz Merkel – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – As a therapeutic aside, if he normally _needs_ 2-3 neb treatments/day he is not being appropriately controlled. This should be looked at first. I suggest you spend some time in this group or look over some of the sites explaining appropriate asthma control. Fritz Merkel Respiratory Care Practitioner Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America-Wa Branch http://www.aafawa.org/ Well, wait a minute, my son is also on 3 treatments per day.  He takes cromolyn sodium.  He experienced a side effect with Pulmicort (sleep deprivation) within 3 days of beginning the once-a-day treatment.  So his pediatrician took him off of Pulmicort and started him on the cromolyn. The only side effect is the occasional post-nasal drip.  Both of these were nebulized, as he’s only 2 years old.  I actually prefer the cromolyn, be- cause the Pulmicort’s growth-stunting side effect scares me. If there is a non-steriod once-a-day treatment that’s nebulizable, please tell me.  Otherwise, I have to wait until he’s able to use an inhaler, correct? LR This is my first post to this newsgroup — thanks for the warm welcome! My son has asthma and requires 2-3 nebulizer treatments a day.   We’d like to find an easier alternative than lugging around his bulky nebulizer machine and trying to locate AC power when traveling.   Has anyone here tried the Medisana Ultrasonic Nebulizer (http://www.shoplifestyleonline.com/md811.html)?   Are you happy with it? I can’t seem to find any details on the portable nebulizer.  It says that we’ll get about 3 treatments from a single charge — I’m assuming his has an AC cord for recharging? Thanks! – Kendall F. Stratton III Fort Fairfield, Maine USA http://home.maine.rr.com/k3 "The Mind, once stretched by an empowering idea, can never fully shrink back to it’s original dimensions." –

Response:

I was previously using my albuterol MDI "rescue" inhaler every 4 hours. I now use it about 2 times a week, almost invariably in anticipation of activity. Boyd "The cure for boredom is curiosity. There is no cure for curiosity." (Ellen Parr- author)

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Sigh, that’s what I get for speaking in generalities… My medical team (MD and PharmD/PhD Physiologist) have come up with a plan which calls for me to use a nebulizer 2X daily with atrovent and albuterol. So you are using atrovent AND albuterol so you don’t have to use your albuterol as much?? Run that by me again. This has been very effective, improving my breathing and reducing my albuterol from every 4 hours to a couple of times a week. Are they incompetent, or don’t you know what you’re talking about? I’m pleased that your breathing is better and you don’t have to use your albuterol as much. Probably to you I don’t know what I’m talking about. Boyd Fritz Merkel Respiratory Care Practitioner Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America-Wa Branch http://www.aafawa.org/

Response:

Fritz, thank you for the comments. LR – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Acknowledged, I may have made an unwise generalization here.  For a child unable to use an MDI/spacer/DPI properly a nebulizer _may_ be necessary. "Generally" people using nebs a lot are using them with bronchodilators; if so this is more appropriately addressed some other way. Cromolyn is a safe alternative and if effective is a good way to go. It also needs multiple daily treatments to be effective; hence your treatment program with the neb. If that program is working for you without serious problems or relapses than on the surface it appears sound. I know people can get kind of touchy on these sites. I don’t contribute often since there is a fair amount of good advice here. My primary point was actually the battery issue and maybe I should have stuck to that. Whenever you give a snippet of advice on an incomplete subject there is the risk of missing some significant information. A full asthma instruction set takes 6+ hours for a patient and myself. Even then I expect most people only get 20-30% of the information, but that’s usually 29% more than they had before and doesn’t include correcting misconceptions. Fritz Merkel As a therapeutic aside, if he normally _needs_ 2-3 neb treatments/day he is not being appropriately controlled. This should be looked at first. I suggest you spend some time in this group or look over some of the sites explaining appropriate asthma control. Fritz Merkel Respiratory Care Practitioner Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America-Wa Branch http://www.aafawa.org/ Well, wait a minute, my son is also on 3 treatments per day.  He takes cromolyn sodium.  He experienced a side effect with Pulmicort (sleep deprivation) within 3 days of beginning the once-a-day treatment.  So his pediatrician took him off of Pulmicort and started him on the cromolyn. The only side effect is the occasional post-nasal drip.  Both of these were nebulized, as he’s only 2 years old.  I actually prefer the cromolyn, be- cause the Pulmicort’s growth-stunting side effect scares me. If there is a non-steriod once-a-day treatment that’s nebulizable, please tell me.  Otherwise, I have to wait until he’s able to use an inhaler, correct? LR This is my first post to this newsgroup — thanks for the warm welcome! My son has asthma and requires 2-3 nebulizer treatments a day.   We’d like to find an easier alternative than lugging around his bulky nebulizer machine and trying to locate AC power when traveling.   Has anyone here tried the Medisana Ultrasonic Nebulizer (http://www.shoplifestyleonline.com/md811.html)?   Are you happy with it? I can’t seem to find any details on the portable nebulizer.  It says that we’ll get about 3 treatments from a single charge — I’m assuming his has an AC cord for recharging? Thanks! – Kendall F. Stratton III Fort Fairfield, Maine USA http://home.maine.rr.com/k3 "The Mind, once stretched by an empowering idea, can never fully shrink back to it’s original dimensions." –

Response:

My medical team (MD and PharmD/PhD Physiologist) have come up with a plan which calls for me to use a nebulizer 2X daily with atrovent and albuterol. This has been very effective, improving my breathing and reducing my albuterol from every 4 hours to a couple of times a week. Are they incompetent, or don’t you know what you’re talking about? Boyd — "The cure for boredom is curiosity. There is no cure for curiosity." (Ellen Parr- author)

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I looked at the site; at $170 it is a pretty low price for a portable USN. A concern would be the rechargeable battery. They tend to be proprietary (not owner replaceable) and very expensive for most of the portables. Compressor driven models usually don’t perform as well as A/C models so they don’t get used while at home and the battery goes bad from neglect. I have no experience with this particular model though. You might take a look at the OMRON, more expensive, some find it fragile (I expect the Medisana is also), but it can use normal AA batteries or rechargeable AA’s for a fraction of the cost. As a therapeutic aside, if he normally _needs_ 2-3 neb treatments/day he is not being appropriately controlled. This should be looked at first. I suggest you spend some time in this group or look over some of the sites explaining appropriate asthma control. Fritz Merkel Respiratory Care Practitioner Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America-Wa Branch http://www.aafawa.org/ This is my first post to this newsgroup — thanks for the warm welcome! My son has asthma and requires 2-3 nebulizer treatments a day.   We’d like to find an easier alternative than lugging around his bulky nebulizer machine and trying to locate AC power when traveling.   Has anyone here tried the Medisana Ultrasonic Nebulizer (http://www.shoplifestyleonline.com/md811.html)?   Are you happy with it? I can’t seem to find any details on the portable nebulizer.  It says that we’ll get about 3 treatments from a single charge — I’m assuming his has an AC cord for recharging? Thanks! – Kendall F. Stratton III Fort Fairfield, Maine USA http://home.maine.rr.com/k3 "The Mind, once stretched by an empowering idea, can never fully shrink back to it’s original dimensions." –

Response:

As ever, Boyd, straight for the jugular, more strength to your elbow, sometimes you know, I reckon these medics should talk to the people with the problems and then make practical suggestions, the two consultants whose care I am in for COPD and Ulcerative Colitis always kick off with, well William hows it been for you is A working or B if not lets sort it. Kind Regards Bill

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – My medical team (MD and PharmD/PhD Physiologist) have come up with a plan which calls for me to use a nebulizer 2X daily with atrovent and albuterol. This has been very effective, improving my breathing and reducing my albuterol from every 4 hours to a couple of times a week. Are they incompetent, or don’t you know what you’re talking about? Boyd — "The cure for boredom is curiosity. There is no cure for curiosity." (Ellen Parr- author) I looked at the site; at $170 it is a pretty low price for a portable USN. A concern would be the rechargeable battery. They tend to be proprietary (not owner replaceable) and very expensive for most of the portables. Compressor driven models usually don’t perform as well as A/C models so they don’t get used while at home and the battery goes bad from neglect. I have no experience with this particular model though. You might take a look at the OMRON, more expensive, some find it fragile (I expect the Medisana is also), but it can use normal AA batteries or rechargeable AA’s for a fraction of the cost. As a therapeutic aside, if he normally _needs_ 2-3 neb treatments/day he is not being appropriately controlled. This should be looked at first. I suggest you spend some time in this group or look over some of the sites explaining appropriate asthma control. Fritz Merkel Respiratory Care Practitioner Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America-Wa Branch http://www.aafawa.org/ This is my first post to this newsgroup — thanks for the warm welcome! My son has asthma and requires 2-3 nebulizer treatments a day.   We’d like to find an easier alternative than lugging around his bulky nebulizer machine and trying to locate AC power when traveling.   Has anyone here tried the Medisana Ultrasonic Nebulizer (http://www.shoplifestyleonline.com/md811.html)?   Are you happy with it? I can’t seem to find any details on the portable nebulizer.  It says that we’ll get about 3 treatments from a single charge — I’m assuming his has an AC cord for recharging? Thanks! – Kendall F. Stratton III Fort Fairfield, Maine USA http://home.maine.rr.com/k3 "The Mind, once stretched by an empowering idea, can never fully shrink back to it’s original dimensions." –

Response:

Sigh, that’s what I get for speaking in generalities… My medical team (MD and PharmD/PhD Physiologist) have come up with a plan which calls for me to use a nebulizer 2X daily with atrovent and

albuterol. So you are using atrovent AND albuterol so you don’t have to use your albuterol as much?? Run that by me again. This has been very effective, improving my breathing and reducing my albuterol from every 4 hours to a couple of times a week. Are they incompetent, or don’t you know what you’re talking about?

I’m pleased that your breathing is better and you don’t have to use your albuterol as much. Probably to you I don’t know what I’m talking about. Boyd

Fritz Merkel Respiratory Care Practitioner Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America-Wa Branch http://www.aafawa.org/

Response:

As a therapeutic aside, if he normally _needs_ 2-3 neb treatments/day he is not being appropriately controlled. This should be looked at first. I suggest you spend some time in this group or look over some of the sites explaining appropriate asthma control. Fritz Merkel Respiratory Care Practitioner Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America-Wa Branch http://www.aafawa.org/

Well, wait a minute, my son is also on 3 treatments per day.  He takes cromolyn sodium.  He experienced a side effect with Pulmicort (sleep deprivation) within 3 days of beginning the once-a-day treatment.  So his pediatrician took him off of Pulmicort and started him on the cromolyn. The only side effect is the occasional post-nasal drip.  Both of these were nebulized, as he’s only 2 years old.  I actually prefer the cromolyn, be- cause the Pulmicort’s growth-stunting side effect scares me. If there is a non-steriod once-a-day treatment that’s nebulizable, please tell me.  Otherwise, I have to wait until he’s able to use an inhaler, correct? LR – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – This is my first post to this newsgroup — thanks for the warm welcome! My son has asthma and requires 2-3 nebulizer treatments a day.   We’d like to find an easier alternative than lugging around his bulky nebulizer machine and trying to locate AC power when traveling.   Has anyone here tried the Medisana Ultrasonic Nebulizer (http://www.shoplifestyleonline.com/md811.html)?   Are you happy with it? I can’t seem to find any details on the portable nebulizer.  It says that we’ll get about 3 treatments from a single charge — I’m assuming his has an AC cord for recharging? Thanks! – Kendall F. Stratton III Fort Fairfield, Maine USA http://home.maine.rr.com/k3 "The Mind, once stretched by an empowering idea, can never fully shrink back to it’s original dimensions." –

Response:

Hello everyone, This is my first post to this newsgroup — thanks for the warm welcome! My son has asthma and requires 2-3 nebulizer treatments a day.   We’d like to find an easier alternative than lugging around his bulky nebulizer machine and trying to locate AC power when traveling.   Has anyone here tried the Medisana Ultrasonic Nebulizer (http://www.shoplifestyleonline.com/md811.html)?   Are you happy with it? I can’t seem to find any details on the portable nebulizer.  It says that we’ll get about 3 treatments from a single charge — I’m assuming his has an AC cord for recharging? Thanks! Kendall F. Stratton III Fort Fairfield, Maine USA http://home.maine.rr.com/k3 "The Mind, once stretched by an empowering idea, can never fully shrink back to it’s original dimensions."

Response:

We’d like to find an easier alternative than lugging around his bulky nebulizer machine and trying to locate AC power when traveling.  

Not knowing as to what method of traveling you are referring to, when I was at the VA clinic the other day I saw one using a nebulizer plugged into his lighter socket.

Response:

We’d like to find an easier alternative than lugging around his bulky nebulizer machine and trying to locate AC power when traveling. Not knowing as to what method of traveling you are referring to, when I was at the VA clinic the other day I saw one using a nebulizer plugged into his lighter socket.

When I mentioned "traveling" I meant driving far distances and staying in hotel/motel rooms.   We’d just like to be able to avoid stopping at rest areas, having to lug out the nebulizer, and searching for AC outlets at 10:00 at night when a nebulizer treatment is needed. Things would be so much easier if our son could just sit in the back seat and have his treatment.   I have considered buying one of the DC-to-AC converters that plugs into the power outlet on the vehicle, but a product like I mentioned would seem to be easier. Thanks for the reply! Kendall F. Stratton III Fort Fairfield, Maine USA http://home.maine.rr.com/k3 "The Mind, once stretched by an empowering idea, can never fully shrink back to it’s original dimensions."

Response:

I know exactaly what you mean. I have a pulmo-aid and it is bulky and heavy. My insurance would not help pay for a portable one and they are very expensive. Since I am a very severe asthmatic I do not leave home any length of time with out it. Sometimes I have to nebulize every 4hrs around the clock when I feel bad. I solved the problem by using a inverter to plug into the ciger lighter in the car which  I plug the nebulizer into. ( We did have to change the lighters fuse) This works very well and it will reach into the back seat without a problem. For the hotels I set my nebulizer up on the table with all the meds beside it.  ( I don’t have little kids to worry about getting into the bottles) The beds are usually close enough the nebulizer can reach the bed without a problem.  I know it is a hassle to awalys carry the thing around and it takes up alot of room in the car. But it does give me the freedom to go places I would not be able to without worrying about right electrial outlets and clean condictions to nebulize in.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hello everyone, This is my first post to this newsgroup — thanks for the warm welcome! My son has asthma and requires 2-3 nebulizer treatments a day.   We’d like to find an easier alternative than lugging around his bulky nebulizer machine and trying to locate AC power when traveling.   Has anyone here tried the Medisana Ultrasonic Nebulizer (http://www.shoplifestyleonline.com/md811.html)?   Are you happy with it? I can’t seem to find any details on the portable nebulizer.  It says that we’ll get about 3 treatments from a single charge — I’m assuming his has an AC cord for recharging? Thanks! – Kendall F. Stratton III Fort Fairfield, Maine USA http://home.maine.rr.com/k3 "The Mind, once stretched by an empowering idea, can never fully shrink back to it’s original dimensions." –

Response:

I looked at the site; at $170 it is a pretty low price for a portable USN. A concern would be the rechargeable battery. They tend to be proprietary (not owner replaceable) and very expensive for most of the portables. Compressor driven models usually don’t perform as well as A/C models so they don’t get used while at home and the battery goes bad from neglect. I have no experience with this particular model though. You might take a look at the OMRON, more expensive, some find it fragile (I expect the Medisana is also), but it can use normal AA batteries or rechargeable AA’s for a fraction of the cost. As a therapeutic aside, if he normally _needs_ 2-3 neb treatments/day he is not being appropriately controlled. This should be looked at first. I suggest you spend some time in this group or look over some of the sites explaining appropriate asthma control. Fritz Merkel Respiratory Care Practitioner Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America-Wa Branch http://www.aafawa.org/ – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – This is my first post to this newsgroup — thanks for the warm welcome! My son has asthma and requires 2-3 nebulizer treatments a day.   We’d like to find an easier alternative than lugging around his bulky nebulizer machine and trying to locate AC power when traveling.   Has anyone here tried the Medisana Ultrasonic Nebulizer (http://www.shoplifestyleonline.com/md811.html)?   Are you happy with it? I can’t seem to find any details on the portable nebulizer.  It says that we’ll get about 3 treatments from a single charge — I’m assuming his has an AC cord for recharging? Thanks! – Kendall F. Stratton III Fort Fairfield, Maine USA http://home.maine.rr.com/k3 "The Mind, once stretched by an empowering idea, can never fully shrink back to it’s original dimensions." –

Response:

Question:

YOU SAID YOU WAS LEAVIN’ !!!!  doncha hate when people come to yer house, advertise they’re leavin, get in tha dang car… then come back’n stay awhile? JUST when ya get nekkid and start eatin a nuked artichoke, feelin’ like you can breathe agin? ok.. i’m gunna call ya Uncle Buck from this day forward .Yoga helps a lot, and specially CBT. CBT ain’t cognitive behavioral therapy where i come from, Uncle Buck.. and i gotchur CBT !!!! Sagan, and hypochondriac. (no, english is not my mother tongue

(cept when it’s convenient)  and by tha way.. WHO ASKED YA?

Response:

I have been on Atenolol 25mg which is a beta blocker and about the lowest dose around, in fact my doctor told me that it has only been around 2 or 3 years.  I’ve been taking it for about a year now and I have to say I feel a lot more rested and together than when I was on no medication at all. Panic Attacks are rare now, although I still get bouts of anxiety but I guess that everyone.  One thing though, coming off it is annoying because of the shakes but because of my low doasge my doctor said it wouldn’t neccesarily be that much of a problem. Daniko.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Tom I take Xanax and a beta blocker, but I have a pacemaker so the beta blocker is to lower the heart rate when the pacer isn’t doin it’s job…sometimes it fires off to a rate of nearly 200bpm. If you get on a beta blocker, take it at night because it tends to make you tired and feel crappy (due to the lowering of the heart rate). — If you sing a country song backwards, you get your job and your wife back. Hi, Although I don’t have frequent panic attacks, my heart races in doctor office, and blood pessure soars.  I’ve been on 20 mg/day of an ACE inhibitor, and BP varies from 110/70 in summer to 135/85 in winter as measured by home monitor (cause unknown).  This is an established cycle over past three years. I almost considered asking to reduce the med, since I got some dizziness when standing when BPs were 105/65 every summer. Most problematic, not only do I have this anxiety in MDs office, but my HR will go up, at times, when I strap on my home BP monitor. FWIW, I believe I don’t have the most common form of hypertension, but, rather, anxiety about HAVING high blood pressure, as well as some anxiety when it comes to health issues. I’m thinking it’s time for a beta blocker, and my doc would likely agree. But I’m athletic, and resting heart rate most of the time is 50 BPM.  I’d hate to suffer side effects (ED, loss of ability to do strenuous exercise) to control the fight-or-flight response. Incidentally, my resting heart rate has recently climbed (15 BPM), as it does when I exercise too much and don’t eat enough.  One month of no exercise and more food usually get’s me back to 100%. As for the anxiety, I’m looking for comments regarding Xanax, Valium, and/or beta blockers, as well as yoga, biofeedback etc.  I’m type A personality, but never get this adrenaline rush unless it’s time to measure BP, or going on a first date Thanks, flighty-mikey

Response:

Although I don’t have frequent panic attacks, my heart races in doctor office, and blood pessure soars. Most problematic, not only do I have this anxiety in MDs office, but my HR will go up, at times, when I strap on my home BP monitor. FWIW, I believe I don’t have the most common form of hypertension, but, rather, anxiety about HAVING high blood pressure, as well as some anxiety when it comes to health issues.

Hi Tom. This sounds very familiar to me. I have exactly the same problem/fear though I had more frequent attacks (one every three days) until I started to take xanax and zoloft. I feel quite well now. I’ve found that my dosage is fine, or perhaps in the borderline, at 3.5mg of Xanax XR (1.5-0.5-1.5) and 75mg of Zoloft. Sometimes I take 0.5mg of Ativan if I feel a bit anxious or Xanax IR for special occasions My resting HR is among 60 and 65 bpm, and during a Holter test, it decreased to 40 being asleep, which you know is normal, and increased to 140!!! in the afternoon because of my fear while thinking about the possible results of the test. I also had white coat HBP (140-155 sistolic and 90-95 diastolic), while my normal BP (during a 24h. monitoring was 137-87) and I was VERY anxious that whole day, I didn’t sleep at all :/ (I was not taking benzos). The lowest BP I’ve seen in body was 130/80, one night, after the doc at the ER told me I was not dying (the first time I had a panic attack), I felt so well and happy that didn’t notice they were measuring my BP Yoga helps a lot, and specially CBT. Change your point of view, stop thinking about your health/yourself. This was MHO. Good luck. Sagan, and hypochondriac. (no, english is not my mother tongue

Response:

Gary and others, Thank you for the replies.  You have eased my anxiety, and all have diagnosed me quite accurately….you’re hired.  Imagine being anxious because BP is not 120/80, or because sleep is not perfect, or because resting heart rate increases from 50 to 65 BPM.  That’s me. I suspect all of my recent ailments are related to doing too much (running, volleyball, weights), without paying enough attention to food and water intake, and paying too much attention to heart rate and blood pressure.  Interestingly, overtraining symptoms (OK, from what I’ve read in the medical literature) include anxiety, moodiness, and insomnia.  My sleep in near normal now that I’ve backed off the excessive/obsessive exercise! I have an excellent benefit plan and will see someone in the employee assistance program.  If medication is the answer, I will consider it. Thanks again for the replies.  I will stay tuned here to keep tabs on all the latest and greatest. Tom – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Tom, it just occured to me that I left out one thing I wanted to tell you. The current zeitgeist in medicine is to treat anxiety with SSRI antidepressants, such as Paxil, Effexor etc, or tricyclic antidepressants, such as desipramine or nortryptiline..  In that you referenced some episodes of what are likely postural hypotension (dizziness when standing), a tricyclic antidepressant (TCA) would not be a particularly good choice for you – these drugs have a ‘moderate’ affinity for alpha 1 adrenergic receptor blockade, which is the primary reason why postural hypotension is such a common side effect with these agents.  Celexa (an SSRI) is my personal favorite because it is the most selective agent for the serotonin receptor – ten times moreso than Paxil, despite the fact that Paxil is clearly the most potent inhibitor of serotonin reuptake.  Potency is mainly a good predictor of adverse events and drug interactions, whereas selectivity will be a better predictor of clinical results.  In the slang of the psychiatry industry, Celexa (or lexapro if you like) is more "clean". Having taken many of these drugs myself, I’ve also found that Celexa is the most anxiolytic of them that I’ve tried.  Another thing I wanted to mention but forgot – I’ve been taking Xanax for 13 years now, and the dose is still the same, and it works just fine every single day. –Gary

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Although I don’t have frequent panic attacks, my heart races in doctor office, and blood pessure soars. Most problematic, not only do I have this anxiety in MDs office, but my HR will go up, at times, when I strap on my home BP monitor. FWIW, I believe I don’t have the most common form of hypertension, but, rather, anxiety about HAVING high blood pressure, as well as some anxiety when it comes to health issues. Hi Tom. This sounds very familiar to me. I have exactly the same problem/fear though I had more frequent attacks (one every three days) until I started to take xanax and zoloft. I feel quite well now. I’ve found that my dosage is fine, or perhaps in the borderline, at 3.5mg of Xanax XR (1.5-0.5-1.5) and 75mg of Zoloft. Sometimes I take 0.5mg of Ativan if I feel a bit anxious or Xanax IR for special occasions My resting HR is among 60 and 65 bpm, and during a Holter test, it decreased to 40 being asleep, which you know is normal, and increased to 140!!! in the afternoon because of my fear while thinking about the possible results of the test. I also had white coat HBP (140-155 sistolic and 90-95 diastolic), while my normal BP (during a 24h. monitoring was 137-87) and I was VERY anxious that whole day, I didn’t sleep at all :/ (I was not taking benzos). The lowest BP I’ve seen in body was 130/80, one night, after the doc at the ER told me I was not dying (the first time I had a panic attack), I felt so well and happy that didn’t notice they were measuring my BP Yoga helps a lot, and specially CBT. Change your point of view, stop thinking about your health/yourself.

Now that is good advice Sagan, and is also very familiar. Now where have I heard that before?! ;o)

Response:

Tom, it just occured to me that I left out one thing I wanted to tell you. The current zeitgeist in medicine is to treat anxiety with SSRI antidepressants, such as Paxil, Effexor etc, or tricyclic antidepressants, such as desipramine or nortryptiline..  In that you referenced some episodes of what are likely postural hypotension (dizziness when standing), a tricyclic antidepressant (TCA) would not be a particularly good choice for you – these drugs have a ‘moderate’ affinity for alpha 1 adrenergic receptor blockade, which is the primary reason why postural hypotension is such a common side effect with these agents.  Celexa (an SSRI) is my personal favorite because it is the most selective agent for the serotonin receptor – ten times moreso than Paxil, despite the fact that Paxil is clearly the most potent inhibitor of serotonin reuptake.  Potency is mainly a good predictor of adverse events and drug interactions, whereas selectivity will be a better predictor of clinical results.  In the slang of the psychiatry industry, Celexa (or lexapro if you like) is more "clean". Having taken many of these drugs myself, I’ve also found that Celexa is the most anxiolytic of them that I’ve tried.  Another thing I wanted to mention but forgot – I’ve been taking Xanax for 13 years now, and the dose is still the same, and it works just fine every single day. –Gary

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Many physicians are even ill-informed on the full depth and breadth of the subject of benzodiazepines.  When *taken for an indicated condition in the amount prescribed* benzodiazepines RARELY show evidence of tolerance or tachyphylaxis (needing to take more of the drug to get the same result). Over about 30 days, and often less, they DO lose their ability to sedate generally, so are not an especially good choice for sleep medicines in the long term – for most people.  I work with hundreds of MD’s and can absolutely assure you that a blood pressure of 135/85 is something that they would be UTTERLY unconcerned with.  The American Cardiology Association says that ideally one should have the diastolic (bottom number) pressure at 85 or less, so I’d keep an eye on the sodium intake. IF your pressure were to rise further, particularly the diastolic part, the first thing they’d likely want to do would be to add a mild diuretic to your ace-inhibitor, usually hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) As an athlete with a low resting heart rate and a BP like that, you would likely be unremarkable to any cardiologist, and I’ve worked in some pretty fancy shmanzy places where virtually everything was reacted to and treated aggressively.  The point:  don’t worry so much.  If ya can’t stop worrying, get some Xanax or some anxiolytic drug from your doctor – he should be far more interested in that problem than in your enviable pulse and blood pressure.  Kudos to you for exercising, it does keep anxiety from getting totally out of hand for a lot of people. I’ll even go so far as to say that if your physician actually agreed to give you a beta blocker with numbers like that (in that the drug isn’t indicated at all), I’d fire his ass.  It is clinically dangerous to administer any amount of beta blockade to someone with a resting heart rate of 50. Kindest Regards, Gary You will probably get plenty of "yes" votes for taking Xanax. I’ve heard that the effect lessens if taken regularly. In my opinion, a person with a resting heart rate that hovers in the 50’s ought not to be messing with beta blockers. You may be right, but I don’t think many knowledgible MDs would be unconcerned with a BP of 135/85. Also, as it appears you are mildly over-concerned about the "numbers" that indicate "good health", be aware that beta blockers can easily cause a rise in serum cholesterol levels. That’s what I’ve heard.  I’ll pass thanks. Exercising too much and not eating enough do not sound like difficult I have no one to blame but myself.  Funny how all of my sedentary friends and relatives all feel dandy 24/7.  My New Years resolution on Nov 1: exercise less eat more work less vacation more…. Thanks for the input. Mike Hi, Although I don’t have frequent panic attacks, my heart races in doctor office, and blood pessure soars.  I’ve been on 20 mg/day of an ACE inhibitor, and BP varies from 110/70 in summer to 135/85 in winter as measured by home monitor (cause unknown).  This is an established cycle over past three years. I almost considered asking to reduce the med, since I got some dizziness when standing when BPs were 105/65 every summer. Most problematic, not only do I have this anxiety in MDs office, but my HR will go up, at times, when I strap on my home BP monitor. FWIW, I believe I don’t have the most common form of hypertension, but, rather, anxiety about HAVING high blood pressure, as well as some anxiety when it comes to health issues. I’m thinking it’s time for a beta blocker, and my doc would likely agree. But I’m athletic, and resting heart rate most of the time is 50 BPM.  I’d hate to suffer side effects (ED, loss of ability to do strenuous exercise) to control the fight-or-flight response. Incidentally, my resting heart rate has recently climbed (15 BPM), as it does when I exercise too much and don’t eat enough.  One month of no exercise and more food usually get’s me back to 100%. As for the anxiety, I’m looking for comments regarding Xanax, Valium, and/or beta blockers, as well as yoga, biofeedback etc.  I’m type A personality, but never get this adrenaline rush unless it’s time to measure BP, or going on a first date Thanks, flighty-mikey

Response:

You will probably get plenty of "yes" votes for taking Xanax.   I’ve heard that the effect lessens if taken regularly.

You listened to the wrong people. As a rule no *tolerance* occurs with anxiety sufferers, it’s really exceedingly rare. In my opinion, a person with a resting heart rate that hovers in the 50’s ought not to be messing with beta blockers.  

I certainly agree. You may be right, but I don’t think many knowledgible MDs would be unconcerned with a BP of 135/85.

Actually this is well within the normal range, no reason to worry. Philip – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi, Although I don’t have frequent panic attacks, my heart races in doctor office, and blood pessure soars.  I’ve been on 20 mg/day of an ACE inhibitor, and BP varies from 110/70 in summer to 135/85 in winter as measured by home monitor (cause unknown).  This is an established cycle over past three years. I almost considered asking to reduce the med, since I got some dizziness when standing when BPs were 105/65 every summer. Most problematic, not only do I have this anxiety in MDs office, but my HR will go up, at times, when I strap on my home BP monitor. FWIW, I believe I don’t have the most common form of hypertension, but, rather, anxiety about HAVING high blood pressure, as well as some anxiety when it comes to health issues. I’m thinking it’s time for a beta blocker, and my doc would likely agree. But I’m athletic, and resting heart rate most of the time is 50 BPM.  I’d hate to suffer side effects (ED, loss of ability to do strenuous exercise) to control the fight-or-flight response. Incidentally, my resting heart rate has recently climbed (15 BPM), as it does when I exercise too much and don’t eat enough.  One month of no exercise and more food usually get’s me back to 100%. As for the anxiety, I’m looking for comments regarding Xanax, Valium, and/or beta blockers, as well as yoga, biofeedback etc.  I’m type A personality, but never get this adrenaline rush unless it’s time to measure BP, or going on a first date Thanks, flighty-mikey

Response:

Many physicians are even ill-informed on the full depth and breadth of the subject of benzodiazepines.  When *taken for an indicated condition in the amount prescribed* benzodiazepines RARELY show evidence of tolerance or tachyphylaxis (needing to take more of the drug to get the same result). Over about 30 days, and often less, they DO lose their ability to sedate generally, so are not an especially good choice for sleep medicines in the long term – for most people.  I work with hundreds of MD’s and can absolutely assure you that a blood pressure of 135/85 is something that they would be UTTERLY unconcerned with.  The American Cardiology Association says that ideally one should have the diastolic (bottom number) pressure at 85 or less, so I’d keep an eye on the sodium intake.  IF your pressure were to rise further, particularly the diastolic part, the first thing they’d likely want to do would be to add a mild diuretic to your ace-inhibitor, usually hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) As an athlete with a low resting heart rate and a BP like that, you would likely be unremarkable to any cardiologist, and I’ve worked in some pretty fancy shmanzy places where virtually everything was reacted to and treated aggressively.  The point:  don’t worry so much.  If ya can’t stop worrying, get some Xanax or some anxiolytic drug from your doctor – he should be far more interested in that problem than in your enviable pulse and blood pressure.  Kudos to you for exercising, it does keep anxiety from getting totally out of hand for a lot of people. I’ll even go so far as to say that if your physician actually agreed to give you a beta blocker with numbers like that (in that the drug isn’t indicated at all), I’d fire his ass.  It is clinically dangerous to administer any amount of beta blockade to someone with a resting heart rate of 50. Kindest Regards, Gary

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – You will probably get plenty of "yes" votes for taking Xanax. I’ve heard that the effect lessens if taken regularly. In my opinion, a person with a resting heart rate that hovers in the 50’s ought not to be messing with beta blockers. You may be right, but I don’t think many knowledgible MDs would be unconcerned with a BP of 135/85. Also, as it appears you are mildly over-concerned about the "numbers" that indicate "good health", be aware that beta blockers can easily cause a rise in serum cholesterol levels. That’s what I’ve heard.  I’ll pass thanks. Exercising too much and not eating enough do not sound like difficult I have no one to blame but myself.  Funny how all of my sedentary friends and relatives all feel dandy 24/7.  My New Years resolution on Nov 1: exercise less eat more work less vacation more…. Thanks for the input. Mike Hi, Although I don’t have frequent panic attacks, my heart races in doctor office, and blood pessure soars.  I’ve been on 20 mg/day of an ACE inhibitor, and BP varies from 110/70 in summer to 135/85 in winter as measured by home monitor (cause unknown).  This is an established cycle over past three years. I almost considered asking to reduce the med, since I got some dizziness when standing when BPs were 105/65 every summer. Most problematic, not only do I have this anxiety in MDs office, but my HR will go up, at times, when I strap on my home BP monitor. FWIW, I believe I don’t have the most common form of hypertension, but, rather, anxiety about HAVING high blood pressure, as well as some anxiety when it comes to health issues. I’m thinking it’s time for a beta blocker, and my doc would likely agree. But I’m athletic, and resting heart rate most of the time is 50 BPM.  I’d hate to suffer side effects (ED, loss of ability to do strenuous exercise) to control the fight-or-flight response. Incidentally, my resting heart rate has recently climbed (15 BPM), as it does when I exercise too much and don’t eat enough.  One month of no exercise and more food usually get’s me back to 100%. As for the anxiety, I’m looking for comments regarding Xanax, Valium, and/or beta blockers, as well as yoga, biofeedback etc.  I’m type A personality, but never get this adrenaline rush unless it’s time to measure BP, or going on a first date Thanks, flighty-mikey

Response:

You will probably get plenty of "yes" votes for taking Xanax.  

I’ve heard that the effect lessens if taken regularly. In my opinion, a person with a resting heart rate that hovers in the 50’s ought not to be messing with beta blockers.  

You may be right, but I don’t think many knowledgible MDs would be unconcerned with a BP of 135/85. Also, as it appears you are mildly over-concerned about the "numbers" that indicate "good health", be aware that beta blockers can easily cause a rise in serum cholesterol levels.

That’s what I’ve heard.  I’ll pass thanks. Exercising too much and not eating enough do not sound like difficult

I have no one to blame but myself.  Funny how all of my sedentary friends and relatives all feel dandy 24/7.  My New Years resolution on Nov 1: exercise less eat more work less vacation more…. Thanks for the input. Mike – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi, Although I don’t have frequent panic attacks, my heart races in doctor office, and blood pessure soars.  I’ve been on 20 mg/day of an ACE inhibitor, and BP varies from 110/70 in summer to 135/85 in winter as measured by home monitor (cause unknown).  This is an established cycle over past three years. I almost considered asking to reduce the med, since I got some dizziness when standing when BPs were 105/65 every summer. Most problematic, not only do I have this anxiety in MDs office, but my HR will go up, at times, when I strap on my home BP monitor. FWIW, I believe I don’t have the most common form of hypertension, but, rather, anxiety about HAVING high blood pressure, as well as some anxiety when it comes to health issues. I’m thinking it’s time for a beta blocker, and my doc would likely agree. But I’m athletic, and resting heart rate most of the time is 50 BPM.  I’d hate to suffer side effects (ED, loss of ability to do strenuous exercise) to control the fight-or-flight response. Incidentally, my resting heart rate has recently climbed (15 BPM), as it does when I exercise too much and don’t eat enough.  One month of no exercise and more food usually get’s me back to 100%. As for the anxiety, I’m looking for comments regarding Xanax, Valium, and/or beta blockers, as well as yoga, biofeedback etc.  I’m type A personality, but never get this adrenaline rush unless it’s time to measure BP, or going on a first date Thanks, flighty-mikey

Response:

You will probably get plenty of "yes" votes for taking Xanax.

i dunno what the topic is, but xanax ALWAYS gets MY vote.. AYE! Exercising too much and not eating enough do not sound like difficult

not difficult at all.. come live at my house. BADDA BING ! ::tossin backah twinkie:: ~tanya

Response:

Tom I take Xanax and a beta blocker, but I have a pacemaker so the beta blocker is to lower the heart rate when the pacer isn’t doin it’s job…sometimes it fires off to a rate of nearly 200bpm. If you get on a beta blocker, take it at night because it tends to make you tired and feel crappy (due to the lowering of the heart rate). — If you sing a country song backwards, you get your job and your wife back.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi, Although I don’t have frequent panic attacks, my heart races in doctor office, and blood pessure soars.  I’ve been on 20 mg/day of an ACE inhibitor, and BP varies from 110/70 in summer to 135/85 in winter as measured by home monitor (cause unknown).  This is an established cycle over past three years. I almost considered asking to reduce the med, since I got some dizziness when standing when BPs were 105/65 every summer. Most problematic, not only do I have this anxiety in MDs office, but my HR will go up, at times, when I strap on my home BP monitor. FWIW, I believe I don’t have the most common form of hypertension, but, rather, anxiety about HAVING high blood pressure, as well as some anxiety when it comes to health issues. I’m thinking it’s time for a beta blocker, and my doc would likely agree. But I’m athletic, and resting heart rate most of the time is 50 BPM.  I’d hate to suffer side effects (ED, loss of ability to do strenuous exercise) to control the fight-or-flight response. Incidentally, my resting heart rate has recently climbed (15 BPM), as it does when I exercise too much and don’t eat enough.  One month of no exercise and more food usually get’s me back to 100%. As for the anxiety, I’m looking for comments regarding Xanax, Valium, and/or beta blockers, as well as yoga, biofeedback etc.  I’m type A personality, but never get this adrenaline rush unless it’s time to measure BP, or going on a first date Thanks, flighty-mikey

Response:

Hi, Although I don’t have frequent panic attacks, my heart races in doctor office, and blood pessure soars.  I’ve been on 20 mg/day of an ACE inhibitor, and BP varies from 110/70 in summer to 135/85 in winter as measured by home monitor (cause unknown).  This is an established cycle over past three years. I almost considered asking to reduce the med, since I got some dizziness when standing when BPs were 105/65 every summer. Most problematic, not only do I have this anxiety in MDs office, but my HR will go up, at times, when I strap on my home BP monitor. FWIW, I believe I don’t have the most common form of hypertension, but, rather, anxiety about HAVING high blood pressure, as well as some anxiety when it comes to health issues. I’m thinking it’s time for a beta blocker, and my doc would likely agree. But I’m athletic, and resting heart rate most of the time is 50 BPM.  I’d hate to suffer side effects (ED, loss of ability to do strenuous exercise) to control the fight-or-flight response. Incidentally, my resting heart rate has recently climbed (15 BPM), as it does when I exercise too much and don’t eat enough.  One month of no exercise and more food usually get’s me back to 100%. As for the anxiety, I’m looking for comments regarding Xanax, Valium, and/or beta blockers, as well as yoga, biofeedback etc.  I’m type A personality, but never get this adrenaline rush unless it’s time to measure BP, or going on a first date Thanks, flighty-mikey

Response:

You will probably get plenty of "yes" votes for taking Xanax..  In my opinion, a person with a resting heart rate that hovers in the 50’s ought not to be messing with beta blockers.  Also, as it appears you are mildly over-concerned about the "numbers" that indicate "good health", be aware that beta blockers can easily cause a rise in serum cholesterol levels. Exercising too much and not eating enough do not sound like difficult

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi, Although I don’t have frequent panic attacks, my heart races in doctor office, and blood pessure soars.  I’ve been on 20 mg/day of an ACE inhibitor, and BP varies from 110/70 in summer to 135/85 in winter as measured by home monitor (cause unknown).  This is an established cycle over past three years. I almost considered asking to reduce the med, since I got some dizziness when standing when BPs were 105/65 every summer. Most problematic, not only do I have this anxiety in MDs office, but my HR will go up, at times, when I strap on my home BP monitor. FWIW, I believe I don’t have the most common form of hypertension, but, rather, anxiety about HAVING high blood pressure, as well as some anxiety when it comes to health issues. I’m thinking it’s time for a beta blocker, and my doc would likely agree. But I’m athletic, and resting heart rate most of the time is 50 BPM.  I’d hate to suffer side effects (ED, loss of ability to do strenuous exercise) to control the fight-or-flight response. Incidentally, my resting heart rate has recently climbed (15 BPM), as it does when I exercise too much and don’t eat enough.  One month of no exercise and more food usually get’s me back to 100%. As for the anxiety, I’m looking for comments regarding Xanax, Valium, and/or beta blockers, as well as yoga, biofeedback etc.  I’m type A personality, but never get this adrenaline rush unless it’s time to measure BP, or going on a first date Thanks, flighty-mikey

Response:

Question:

    Uh, just a thought. How high a dose of thyroid hormones are you on? T3 ? T4? Both maybe? The reason I ask is that if you are on too high a dose you can get shaky BUT when I was extremely hypo I shook pretty bad too. I never took Xanax, I take Valium. I think it is gentler on the system than Xanax. Do you take in much caffeine in the course of a day? Caffeine will make your hands tremble too. The adrenals can cause problems and often go hand in hand with thyroid problems, just another thing to consider.     Being a guy, I can’t vouch for if menopause would cause this but I can tell you I’ve never heard of it, even though it can do some strange things so I don’t discount that either ( I told you I might not have a good answer for you ).     Did you by chance have a recent copy of any tests you had done? Posting them here will get you replies that might be a bit more revealing or at least tell you a bit more about what is going on. "PowerPoster" <powerpos…@nospam.com

wrote in message

news:tNOu6.104188$tP3.1638117@news1.rdc1.bc.home.com… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -

Hi, my main questions were: – is constant tremor ever experienced by any of you on thyroid

replacement,

or who took xanax – do any of the women reading this have menopausal symptoms at the same

time > and have any of your doctors figured out which is menopause and which is > thyroid related. If so, has estrogen helped? > John Riggs <johnri32…@yahoo.com

wrote in message

> news:99ebgv$qa94$1@ID-41632.news.dfncis.de… > >     You don’t want junk mail? Gosh, and I was so looking forward to > sending > > mine off to some underprivileged soul > >     I’m sorry, I read your post but I lost track of what it was you were > > asking. Could you post a short, eentsy, version just for me? Pretty > please? > > I promise to give an answer, even if it’s wrong. > >     Thanks > >             John > > "PowerPoster" <powerpos…@nospam.com

wrote in message

> > news:Aoxu6.96934$tP3.1557994@news1.rdc1.bc.home.com… > > > Sorry, i forgot to give my address for those who can reply, it is > > > suz…@yahoo.com. Although I also will read the newsgroup. Thanks. I > > didn’t > > > have it in my preferences to avoid masses of unwanted junk mail.

Response:

    You don’t want junk mail? Gosh, and I was so looking forward to sending mine off to some underprivileged soul     I’m sorry, I read your post but I lost track of what it was you were asking. Could you post a short, eentsy, version just for me? Pretty please? I promise to give an answer, even if it’s wrong.     Thanks             John "PowerPoster" <powerpos…@nospam.com

wrote in message

news:Aoxu6.96934$tP3.1557994@news1.rdc1.bc.home.com… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -

Sorry, i forgot to give my address for those who can reply, it is suz…@yahoo.com. Although I also will read the newsgroup. Thanks. I

didn’t

have it in my preferences to avoid masses of unwanted junk mail.

Response:

Hi, my main questions were: – is constant tremor ever experienced by any of you on thyroid replacement, or who took xanax – do any of the women reading this have menopausal symptoms at the same time and have any of your doctors figured out which is menopause and which is thyroid related. If so, has estrogen helped? John Riggs <johnri32…@yahoo.com

wrote in message

news:99ebgv$qa94$1@ID-41632.news.dfncis.de… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -

    You don’t want junk mail? Gosh, and I was so looking forward to

sending

mine off to some underprivileged soul     I’m sorry, I read your post but I lost track of what it was you were asking. Could you post a short, eentsy, version just for me? Pretty

please? > I promise to give an answer, even if it’s wrong. >     Thanks >             John > "PowerPoster" <powerpos…@nospam.com

wrote in message

> news:Aoxu6.96934$tP3.1557994@news1.rdc1.bc.home.com… > > Sorry, i forgot to give my address for those who can reply, it is > > suz…@yahoo.com. Although I also will read the newsgroup. Thanks. I > didn’t > > have it in my preferences to avoid masses of unwanted junk mail.

Response:

Sorry, i forgot to give my address for those who can reply, it is suz…@yahoo.com. Although I also will read the newsgroup. Thanks. I didn’t have it in my preferences to avoid masses of unwanted junk mail.

Response:

HI Suze, I better leave someone who knows more about thyroid to answer your post but I thought I would let the US readers know that the  CES you mention is a plant based conjugated estrogen similiar to Cenestin sold in the US. I’ve also removed the other newsgroup for this reply. Kathryn kathr…@telus.net On Thu, 22 Mar 2001 22:07:46 GMT, "PowerPoster" – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -<powerpos…@nospam.com

wrote: I went to my dr. today to get the results of my blood test last week. He won’t give them on the phone. It was very hard driving there, I have constant tremors and they are worsening. However, he dismissed them as well as my shivering and arm and leg weakness, these all have been with me only since early Feb, for no known reason. For the first time he chose not to order a TSH – only a free T4. So, it was 20.8. Normal range is 10.5 to 20.0, so it is just slightly high, but that then might explain why I have felt attacks of hyper adrenaline? And yet, I have felt ill and almost comatose on a lower dose, previously, and was attempting not to be hypothyroid. But he says that 100 mcg is too high and 75 would be too low, so I must now take .88. My last test a few months ago, the free t4 was 18 or high normal, and I was taking 100 then too, and told to stay on 100. Then I was switched by my endocrinologist to a combo of T4 and T3, which was excessive and made me have more heart pounding than usual, and I stopped the T3. I also felt hypo on the divided dose .50-T4, .12-T3 regimen, but more T3 seemed to make me have more sudden bursts of heart pounding. Even with the combined dose, the equivalent I tried to get was 100 mcg a day as it seemed to make me feel less ill and less hypo than other doses. I have years of journals to analyze for symptoms and doses; it has not helped me find an answer. It is always either too high or too low, with a euthyroid feeling appearing so rarely that maybe 2 or 3 times in ten years I have felt it and diarized it as a massively red letter day, virtually a feeling of euphoria. This euthyroid is the way I felt for the rest of my life  the first 45 years until the diseases started. Just able to function and feeling well. So my T4 is slightly high, and I should therefore not have hypo symptoms, which I do still have – feeling suddenly sleepy at any time and falling asleep for an hour or two. (Yet I have insomnia late at night, and spells of hyper, surging, too much unuseable adrenaline coursing through me). Swelling feet and legs, no appetite, hair falling out in my brush and when I wash it in huge clumps, trouble with digestion when I do eat, but the number one hypo symptom I have day and night is freezing cold, shivering, every day, unrelated to the temperature, that nothing will warm up until it passes. It’s an internal thing.  The constant tremors are not always shivering from cold…sometimes I have them together. These are NOT hyper symptoms so why would I think the dose was too high? My basal temperataure, when I get up, has ranged from 97.3 to 98.2, which I believe is normal according to Dr. Broda Barnes. One would think my dose was good. In the past the temperature was in the 96 range, and yet I felt better then, at a lower dose, though I had the hypo symptoms. Someone posted the query, which would you rather be – hypo or hyper? Choosing between them is something I have always had to do, and each one becomes horrific, causing me to go the other way for a time. Can this constant seesawing be causing the new problems? If one has to choose, hypo is less debilitating and life-destroying. One gets fat with painful joints, and slow, and placid, and confused, but there is a calm. And yet, then one is wistful for the energetic bursts, relative fit body and occasional clear thinking one did have even with the accompanying high anxiety, nervous state. As I am trying to explain, now I seem to be both hyper and hypo, but the test says slightly hyper. Besides the T4 test I had an FSH test. A year or so ago it was still normal, 22, now it is 47, which is out of range. Though I have had perimenopausal symptoms – severe ones, and all of them, for 6 years now, my tests were always in the normal range until now. So he gave me estrogen – CES, a ‘natural’ plant based one. He said more women were against Premarin now (which I used to be, but now I don’t care – I just want relief). I will take them, what else can I do? Hoping it will help. I studied this 3 or 4 years ago and was even given both Premarin and CES by doctors at the time of my hot flashes but I did not have good results and stopped them. Now that the hormone levels have changed maybe this is the answer. Does anyone have experience with CES? I have become a querulous, middle aged woman whom no one wants to know about, I suddenly realized in his office when facing his contempt and his lack of sympathy for me as a person, and his dismissing my complete worsening in the last 2 months…..his restating what he always states: "We’ll have to see if this gets the thyroid in range…" In ten years nothing has worked, and currently I am worse than ever before. My health has deteriorated drastically since around last October. The pains, weakness, unsteadiness, tremor are considered ‘essential tremor’ by a neurologist, and fibromyalgia by a rheumatologist, but there is NO treatment for these…until I take the .88 T4 for a while and if I don’t improve then my g.p. will give me a form of propanolol. This is the same thing I took when I first got Graves’ disease in 1989 and before the radiation. Why is this happening? If the T4 level is so  high then why not just stop the thyroid and become completely hypothyroid, that will calm me and make me placid like a cow, and overweight….which is what happened last year, i basically had ONLY intense muscle pain and hot flashes most of the time. No anxiety or heart pounding attacks, tremors or shivering. I don’t MIND hot flashes. I wish that was all I did have again. I learned to accept and deal with them. I cannot deal with a head tremor and weak muscles. Even my jaw feels sprained after chewing; I cannot hold a cup with one hand. If 100 was such a massive dose that it makes me hyper, then why the combined symptoms which include hypo items like hair loss, cold, confusion, cognitive problems with words and memory, and the rest? My God, I am at the end of my rope, and other than an expensive holistic doctor or naturopath, who might have an insight and might just be a quack, there is nowhere else to turn. It is not a simple matter to change doctors. I can barely stand to go to the ones I do have, that already know my complicated case. It is an ordeal, as everything is such an effort now. But my mind objects, wanting a way out of this nightmare. There surely is a first cause somewhere….the only one I know of is the Graves’ disease, the hyperthyroid suddenly in 1989. Everything else followed. I’ve said this before, I was an energetic, smart, normal looking and successful working mother with many friends and a full life and unbounded energy. And after the treatment I still functioned until 1996 when my body just began to be unable to function. The menopausal stuff began in 1994 and yes I did get worse after that, but nothing helped, and by 1996 I was too disabled to work. Four years now have been lost from my life because of iatrogenic disease. My psychiatrist says it is iatrogenic – doctor-caused. Wrong treatment, wrong pills. I no longer have a thyroid, and nothing replaces it correctly. He just listens to me – he cannot help the physical things and the doctors will not. He gives me Xanax, but i worry that it only makes it worse in the long run, causing rebound anxiety when not taken, as it messes up the GABA receptors in the brain. Yet, I guess I will still rely on it for the worst of the spells I have. Without any thyroid of course I cannot survive, but no combination or amount has worked for long, and these other worse conditions have happened one after another including 3 root canals needed for abcesses in the last year, and continued tooth pain. Despite no sugar in my diet for a year. I read in a doctor’s waiting room once that estrogen is used for every part of the body including the teeth. If that is the case could my tooth problems, nerve problems and the rest all be part of the menopause? I was once an expert on this, I wrote a paper on it that was published to high praise, and now I am too confused to figure it out, as nothing makes sense anymore, and my case does not fit any I read about. I don’t even have hot flashes most of the time and they were not a serious problem for me, in retrospect. I do periodically for a few months and then none. The cold spells and shivering are the thing now. And that totally indicates more thyroid needed, and yet the test shows no, I have even excess T4 in the blood. Any ideas, please, would be welcome. I also have fibromyalgia, and iGa nephropathy, both considered nothing by the medical profession, but those were the diagnoses. I live with constant back pain, but that does not affect my life the way the lack of stable hormones does. I lost 35 pounds since last May, when I deliberately lowered my food intake and did yoga. I continue at the lower weight, but do not lose more as I eat everything I feel like now since I so seldom have any appetite and since food causes indigestion. I felt better when I was obese, but I didn’t like the way I looked. Was it a mistake to diet? I no longer have knee problems, as my doctor promised when the weight came off, and my heel spur also went away. If being obese would restore my stable constitution though I’d do it again, except I am now unable to overeat to the required extent, my digestion won’t allow it. I was told to take Xanax, in November, for the attacks of heart pounding and surging which started

… read more »

Response:

I went to my dr. today to get the results of my blood test last week. He won’t give them on the phone. It was very hard driving there, I have constant tremors and they are worsening. However, he dismissed them as well as my shivering and arm and leg weakness, these all have been with me only since early Feb, for no known reason. For the first time he chose not to order a TSH – only a free T4. So, it was 20.8. Normal range is 10.5 to 20.0, so it is just slightly high, but that then might explain why I have felt attacks of hyper adrenaline? And yet, I have felt ill and almost comatose on a lower dose, previously, and was attempting not to be hypothyroid. But he says that 100 mcg is too high and 75 would be too low, so I must now take .88. My last test a few months ago, the free t4 was 18 or high normal, and I was taking 100 then too, and told to stay on 100. Then I was switched by my endocrinologist to a combo of T4 and T3, which was excessive and made me have more heart pounding than usual, and I stopped the T3. I also felt hypo on the divided dose .50-T4, .12-T3 regimen, but more T3 seemed to make me have more sudden bursts of heart pounding. Even with the combined dose, the equivalent I tried to get was 100 mcg a day as it seemed to make me feel less ill and less hypo than other doses. I have years of journals to analyze for symptoms and doses; it has not helped me find an answer. It is always either too high or too low, with a euthyroid feeling appearing so rarely that maybe 2 or 3 times in ten years I have felt it and diarized it as a massively red letter day, virtually a feeling of euphoria. This euthyroid is the way I felt for the rest of my life  the first 45 years until the diseases started. Just able to function and feeling well. So my T4 is slightly high, and I should therefore not have hypo symptoms, which I do still have – feeling suddenly sleepy at any time and falling asleep for an hour or two. (Yet I have insomnia late at night, and spells of hyper, surging, too much unuseable adrenaline coursing through me). Swelling feet and legs, no appetite, hair falling out in my brush and when I wash it in huge clumps, trouble with digestion when I do eat, but the number one hypo symptom I have day and night is freezing cold, shivering, every day, unrelated to the temperature, that nothing will warm up until it passes. It’s an internal thing.  The constant tremors are not always shivering from cold…sometimes I have them together. These are NOT hyper symptoms so why would I think the dose was too high? My basal temperataure, when I get up, has ranged from 97.3 to 98.2, which I believe is normal according to Dr. Broda Barnes. One would think my dose was good. In the past the temperature was in the 96 range, and yet I felt better then, at a lower dose, though I had the hypo symptoms. Someone posted the query, which would you rather be – hypo or hyper? Choosing between them is something I have always had to do, and each one becomes horrific, causing me to go the other way for a time. Can this constant seesawing be causing the new problems? If one has to choose, hypo is less debilitating and life-destroying. One gets fat with painful joints, and slow, and placid, and confused, but there is a calm. And yet, then one is wistful for the energetic bursts, relative fit body and occasional clear thinking one did have even with the accompanying high anxiety, nervous state. As I am trying to explain, now I seem to be both hyper and hypo, but the test says slightly hyper. Besides the T4 test I had an FSH test. A year or so ago it was still normal, 22, now it is 47, which is out of range. Though I have had perimenopausal symptoms – severe ones, and all of them, for 6 years now, my tests were always in the normal range until now. So he gave me estrogen – CES, a ‘natural’ plant based one. He said more women were against Premarin now (which I used to be, but now I don’t care – I just want relief). I will take them, what else can I do? Hoping it will help. I studied this 3 or 4 years ago and was even given both Premarin and CES by doctors at the time of my hot flashes but I did not have good results and stopped them. Now that the hormone levels have changed maybe this is the answer. Does anyone have experience with CES? I have become a querulous, middle aged woman whom no one wants to know about, I suddenly realized in his office when facing his contempt and his lack of sympathy for me as a person, and his dismissing my complete worsening in the last 2 months…..his restating what he always states: "We’ll have to see if this gets the thyroid in range…" In ten years nothing has worked, and currently I am worse than ever before. My health has deteriorated drastically since around last October. The pains, weakness, unsteadiness, tremor are considered ‘essential tremor’ by a neurologist, and fibromyalgia by a rheumatologist, but there is NO treatment for these…until I take the .88 T4 for a while and if I don’t improve then my g.p. will give me a form of propanolol. This is the same thing I took when I first got Graves’ disease in 1989 and before the radiation. Why is this happening? If the T4 level is so  high then why not just stop the thyroid and become completely hypothyroid, that will calm me and make me placid like a cow, and overweight….which is what happened last year, i basically had ONLY intense muscle pain and hot flashes most of the time. No anxiety or heart pounding attacks, tremors or shivering. I don’t MIND hot flashes. I wish that was all I did have again. I learned to accept and deal with them. I cannot deal with a head tremor and weak muscles. Even my jaw feels sprained after chewing; I cannot hold a cup with one hand. If 100 was such a massive dose that it makes me hyper, then why the combined symptoms which include hypo items like hair loss, cold, confusion, cognitive problems with words and memory, and the rest? My God, I am at the end of my rope, and other than an expensive holistic doctor or naturopath, who might have an insight and might just be a quack, there is nowhere else to turn. It is not a simple matter to change doctors. I can barely stand to go to the ones I do have, that already know my complicated case. It is an ordeal, as everything is such an effort now. But my mind objects, wanting a way out of this nightmare. There surely is a first cause somewhere….the only one I know of is the Graves’ disease, the hyperthyroid suddenly in 1989. Everything else followed. I’ve said this before, I was an energetic, smart, normal looking and successful working mother with many friends and a full life and unbounded energy. And after the treatment I still functioned until 1996 when my body just began to be unable to function. The menopausal stuff began in 1994 and yes I did get worse after that, but nothing helped, and by 1996 I was too disabled to work. Four years now have been lost from my life because of iatrogenic disease. My psychiatrist says it is iatrogenic – doctor-caused. Wrong treatment, wrong pills. I no longer have a thyroid, and nothing replaces it correctly. He just listens to me – he cannot help the physical things and the doctors will not. He gives me Xanax, but i worry that it only makes it worse in the long run, causing rebound anxiety when not taken, as it messes up the GABA receptors in the brain. Yet, I guess I will still rely on it for the worst of the spells I have. Without any thyroid of course I cannot survive, but no combination or amount has worked for long, and these other worse conditions have happened one after another including 3 root canals needed for abcesses in the last year, and continued tooth pain. Despite no sugar in my diet for a year. I read in a doctor’s waiting room once that estrogen is used for every part of the body including the teeth. If that is the case could my tooth problems, nerve problems and the rest all be part of the menopause? I was once an expert on this, I wrote a paper on it that was published to high praise, and now I am too confused to figure it out, as nothing makes sense anymore, and my case does not fit any I read about. I don’t even have hot flashes most of the time and they were not a serious problem for me, in retrospect. I do periodically for a few months and then none. The cold spells and shivering are the thing now. And that totally indicates more thyroid needed, and yet the test shows no, I have even excess T4 in the blood. Any ideas, please, would be welcome. I also have fibromyalgia, and iGa nephropathy, both considered nothing by the medical profession, but those were the diagnoses. I live with constant back pain, but that does not affect my life the way the lack of stable hormones does. I lost 35 pounds since last May, when I deliberately lowered my food intake and did yoga. I continue at the lower weight, but do not lose more as I eat everything I feel like now since I so seldom have any appetite and since food causes indigestion. I felt better when I was obese, but I didn’t like the way I looked. Was it a mistake to diet? I no longer have knee problems, as my doctor promised when the weight came off, and my heel spur also went away. If being obese would restore my stable constitution though I’d do it again, except I am now unable to overeat to the required extent, my digestion won’t allow it. I was told to take Xanax, in November, for the attacks of heart pounding and surging which started in October out of the blue. I took it only sporadically as needed for the worst, then was told to take it every day once the tremors became a daily problem, no matter how I felt, but that did not eliminate the tremors. It just makes me apathetic and totally cut off from the world, mentally it shuts down the brain, which no longer cares. As I don’t like that feeling, I don’t take it in big doses as recommended. I wondered if any of this new stuff was really xanax withdrawal or reaction, as it is known to be highly addictive even … read more »

Response:

Question:

I have crohn’s and I have been taking propranolol for essential tremor for 3 years now.  I have not noticed any side effects. I assume by your phrase "the opposite of the usual" that you mean constipation as opposed to diarreha.  I have always been constipated so maybe that’s why I don’t notice it. Before you buy.

Response:

Hello, Is anyone taking this besides me? I take it for essential tremors and for the first time in over 20 years my hand writing is readable. There are some side effects with my crohns which are just the opposite of the normal side effects. Thanks, Ricko in KY

Response:

I take it sometimes before performances and have never had any problems. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hello, Is anyone taking this besides me? I take it for essential tremors and for the first time in over 20 years my hand writing is readable. There are some side effects with my crohns which are just the opposite of the normal side effects. Thanks, Ricko in KY I used to take it, but stopped when my intestinal disease became unbearable. Too many pills to take, sick anyway, don’t need anymore pills. —- stevenscott

Response:

Question:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Okay, the fellows and the ladies that don’t want to read a discussion about PMS, periods, symptoms, etc, might want to pick now to get out. Alright, you’ve been warned! Hi Liz. I didn’t realize until very recently that I HAD PMS.  I find that as I get older, the symptoms, which never bothered me when I was younger that I am aware of are getting worse and so is cramping which also didn’t bug me. Well, when I was younger, PMS was still supposedly ‘all in our heads’, so though I had cramping and a fair bit of pain and got quite emotional, I didn’t know it was PMS. After I had my kids, I had my tubes tied.  That’s when I noticed it started getting worse.  They couldn’t do one of those nice little laparoscopic surgeries, too many adhesions and too much scar tissue (which the doc already knew about and he and I both concluded it was likely from the abuse. It was there when I had surgery when I was 19).  So, probably, I ended up adding to the scar tissue and adhesions by having the surgery.  It was my choice, though.  I couldn’t take the pill, and didn’t want to have 10 kids in 11 years.  ;-) As I get older, it does, definitely, get worse.  Matter of fact, I’m calling the doctor today, to make an appointment, to talk to him about it. My problem is I don’t realize I am PMSing until well into it….and if anyone says anything to me along the lines of ‘getting ready to start your period’ I growl at them until they go away.  i feel kind of…I don’t know. Hopeless. My husband has gotten smart about it.  Now he just says to me, "By the way, what’s the date?"  When I ask why, he just says, "Oh, just wondering."  He knows I’ll catch on, and I’ll laugh, too.  He’s good about stuff like that. If I’m particularly angry and stuff, he just goes bowling alot.  hehehe.  I guess he learned something in 23 years. I find the emotional effects of PMS do seem to get worse, as I’ve gotten into my mid to late 30’s.  I get so angry, over such stupid stuff.  I cry easily, but that’s something I have done anyway, since I got in touch with my emotions.  Never used to do either, get angry or cry, at all.  PMS makes it worse. Also, starting about 3 or 4 years ago, I get cyclical migraines.  They are different than the other migraines, in that they are more intense, don’t respond as well to medication, and last for days. My periods are quite regular, so I have the advantage of knowing when it’s coming, and knowing I’m PMSing, when my emotions become difficult to deal with.  I do tend to isolate myself, during that time, somewhat.  I don’t like to be hurtful to others, even those I don’t like.  It makes me feel like I am out of control and they know it.  I don’t like others seeing that, feels like they know my weakness, you know?  So learning to identify when I’m PMSing, and stopping myself from acting out at that time, has become important for me. I AM trying the b complex vitamins and rose something or other that is supposed to help.  Also, to be real honest, a stiff drink does wonders. I take a ’stress tab’ type of multivitamin, I think they help somewhat. Also, I take zoloft, for depression, and I find that does have an effect on the hopelessness and the anger.  Have you ever tried an anti-depressant? They help for more than just depression.  Zoloft is the third one, I’ve been on.  I couldn’t take prozac, it made me sick.  Paxil had some nasty ’sexual dysfunction’ side effects, but zoloft has worked wonders for me. But yeah, sometimes, a stiff drink works wonders. Do you find it got worse with you as you got older? Yes, yes, yes!!!! Not only has the PMS become more intense, but I have a lot more cramping and pain.  The cyclical migraines didn’t start until I was in my mid-30s.  On top of that, my periods have gotten longer, heavier and more painful.  7-9 days is toooo long!!  Last few months my cycle has been shortening, too, from my usual 28 days, to 21.  That is not fun!!! ;-P That’s why I decided I had better see the doctor.  I have heard that can be a sign of being pre-menopausal. (I can only hope!!!) rosee

I hope you don’t mind my asking something personal.  :) How old are you? Just curious. XO Rachel – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Liz http://www.geocities.com/wellesley/7368 A closed mind gathers no thoughts. -Anonymous friend — For more information about this posting service, contact: If you want an anonymous account, visit our sign-up page: http://asarian-host.org/emailform.html

Response:

Hi rosee My preference is for docphobia He sounds a nice guy. I am glad he allows someone in with you. I hate these exams and I usually close my eyes and try to imagine I am somewhere where there are palm trees, soft breezes and sweet music, Takes a bit of doing but I concentrate reeeeeal hard Trying it now can you hear the gears grinding hehehheee Ruth — Today, is the tomorrow, you worried about yesterday. Anonymous

| Hi Ruth! | | Now, you are the opposite of me, the crampier I am, the more irritable I am. | That may have something to do with the fact that I am a HUGE suck, when it | comes to pain.  It makes me more cranky, I think. | | | Menopause doesn’t look that bad, just now, even with the hot flashes! | <g | | I see the doc at the end of April, though, about the lengthening periods and | the shortening cycle. | | I start praying now, that I have the courage to go, and don’t chicken out | and cancel like I did the last time I made an appt for a physical.  I hate call that, | medicaphobia, docaphobia? *g*) doesn’t make it any easier. | | It’s so weird too.  I really like my doctor.  I really trust my doctor. | He’s been wonderful about my phobia, has really tried to be accomadating. | He lets my daughter or my husband come in with me and hold my hand. | | Well, at least, now, I get there, most of the time. | | | take care | rosee | |

| Hi rosee | | Yep I find as I get older the cramping gets worse and the | flow is heavier, although I put some of that down to the | fact that I am taking aspirin to thin my blood. I find that | if I am having bad cramps that I am not so irritable and the | times I am really irritable I am not in as much pain. | Like you I hope I do not have much longer to go before they | go away | | Ruth | | | — | Today, is the tomorrow, you worried about yesterday. | Anonymous | |

| | Okay, the fellows and the ladies that don’t want to read a | discussion about | | PMS, periods, symptoms, etc, might want to pick now to get | out. | | | | Alright, you’ve been warned! | | | | | | Hi Liz. | | | | I didn’t realize until very recently that I HAD PMS. I | find that as I get | | older, the symptoms, which never bothered me when I was | younger that I am | | aware | | of are getting worse and so is cramping which also | didn’t bug me. | | | | Well, when I was younger, PMS was still supposedly ‘all in | our heads’, so | | though I had cramping and a fair bit of pain and got quite | emotional, I | | didn’t know it was PMS. | | | | After I had my kids, I had my tubes tied.  That’s when I | noticed it started | | getting worse.  They couldn’t do one of those nice little | laparoscopic | | surgeries, too many adhesions and too much scar tissue | (which the doc | | already knew about and he and I both concluded it was | likely from the abuse. | | It was there when I had surgery when I was 19).  So, | probably, I ended up | | adding to the scar tissue and adhesions by having the | surgery.  It was my | | choice, though.  I couldn’t take the pill, and didn’t want | to have 10 kids | | in 11 years.  ;-) | | | | As I get older, it does, definitely, get worse.  Matter of | fact, I’m calling | | the doctor today, to make an appointment, to talk to him | about it. | | | | | | My problem is I don’t realize I am PMSing until well | into it….and if | | anyone | | says anything to me along the lines of ‘getting ready to | start your | | period’ I | | growl at them until they go away.  i feel kind of…I | don’t know. | | Hopeless. | | | | My husband has gotten smart about it.  Now he just says to | me, "By the way, | | what’s the date?"  When I ask why, he just says, "Oh, just | wondering."  He | | knows I’ll catch on, and I’ll laugh, too.  He’s good about | stuff like that. | | | | If I’m particularly angry and stuff, he just goes bowling | alot.  hehehe.  I | | guess he learned something in 23 years. | | | | I find the emotional effects of PMS do seem to get worse, | as I’ve gotten | | into my mid to late 30’s.  I get so angry, over such | stupid stuff.  I cry | | easily, but that’s something I have done anyway, since I | got in touch with | | my emotions.  Never used to do either, get angry or cry, | at all.  PMS makes | | it worse. | | | | Also, starting about 3 or 4 years ago, I get cyclical | migraines.  They are | | different than the other migraines, in that they are more | intense, don’t | | respond as well to medication, and last for days. | | | | My periods are quite regular, so I have the advantage of | knowing when it’s | | coming, and knowing I’m PMSing, when my emotions become | difficult to deal | | with.  I do tend to isolate myself, during that time, | somewhat.  I don’t | | like to be hurtful to others, even those I don’t like. It | makes me feel | | like I am out of control and they know it.  I don’t like | others seeing that, | | feels like they know my weakness, you know?  So learning | to identify when | | I’m PMSing, and stopping myself from acting out at that | time, has become | | important for me. | | | | | | I AM trying the b complex vitamins and rose something or | other that is | | supposed | | to help.  Also, to be real honest, a stiff drink does | wonders. | | | | I take a ’stress tab’ type of multivitamin, I think they | help somewhat. | | Also, I take zoloft, for depression, and I find that does | have an effect on | | the hopelessness and the anger.  Have you ever tried an | anti-depressant? | | They help for more than just depression.  Zoloft is the | third one, I’ve been | | on.  I couldn’t take prozac, it made me sick.  Paxil had | some nasty ’sexual | | dysfunction’ side effects, but zoloft has worked wonders | for me. | | | | But yeah, sometimes, a stiff drink works wonders. | | | | | | Do you find it got worse with you as you got older? | | | | Yes, yes, yes!!!! | | | | Not only has the PMS become more intense, but I have a lot | more cramping and | | pain.  The cyclical migraines didn’t start until I was in | my mid-30s.  On | | top of that, my periods have gotten longer, heavier and | more painful.  7-9 | | days is toooo long!!  Last few months my cycle has been | shortening, too, | | from my usual 28 days, to 21.  That is not fun!!! ;-P | | | | That’s why I decided I had better see the doctor.  I have | heard that can be | | a sign of being pre-menopausal. (I can only hope!!!) | | | | rosee | | | | | | | | | | Liz | | http://www.geocities.com/wellesley/7368 | | A closed mind gathers no thoughts. -Anonymous friend | | [snip] | | | | | | | | | — | For more information about this posting service, contact: | administrator | | If you want an anonymous account, visit our sign-up page: | | http://asarian-host.org/emailform.html | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

Response:

Well, since you asked *G* here it is.  Now, this is herbal stuff and I know some people don’t trust it, but it is what I do.  First off, there are many symptoms attached to PMS and one herb may be more suited to YOUR symptoms than others. Secondly, one person can be more sensitive to specific herbs than others.  This is long, so I am cutting out the previous letters.  <extracted from Herbal Cures for common ailments Borage Oil and Black Currant Oil-  These are both excellent sources of gamma linoleic acid (GLA).  GLA is an effective anti-inflammatory agent that has no side effects.  Both of these oils are an effective treatment for PMS, but they don’t work instantaneously.  You must take one or the other treatment for 6-8 weeks before it takes effect and you notice any changes.  Black currant oil and borage oil also contain an abundant amount of GLA.   Mix teaspoon of borage oil in juice and drink it daily.  Dr. Weil recommend 500mg of black currant oil 2xdaily as the most economical form. BUCHU- This is an ecellent diuretic and is useful in relieving the bloating that is characteristic of PMS.   To make a cup of tea, mix 2 tsp of dried leaves per cup of boiling water.  Steep 20min and drink 3 cups per day.  Or take a teaspoon of tincture 3xdaily.  WARNING: PREGNANT AND NURSING WOMEN SHOULD NOT USE THIS HERB. DANDELION-  This is another diuretic that helps relieve that uncomfortable, bloated feeling.   Make a tea with an ounce of dried leaves per cup of boiling water and steep 10min.  Drink 3 cups per day.  Or take 2tsp of tincture 3xdaily.  In addition, you can add dandelion greens to a salad, but don’t rely on greens alone to counteract bloating.  Combine them with tea or tincture for maximum effectiveness.      WARNING:  PREGNANT AND NURSING WOMEN SHOULD NOT USE THIS HERB. DONG QUAI-  Just as this traditional Chinese herb is useful for menopause, it can relieve the unpleasant symptoms of PMS.  It produces a balancing effect on estrogen activity and a tonic effect on the uterus.  It is great for PMS and menstrual cramps.  The herb also happens to be rich in vitamins A, B12, and E. JUNIPER-  Ass this herb to your list of diuretics.  It may come in handy for the bloating period.  To make a tea, place a tsp of bruised juniper berries in a cup of boiling water and steep for 15-20min.  Drink ONLY 2 cups a day. WARNING:  PREGNANT AND NURSING WOMEN SHOULD NOT USE THIS HERB. MOTHERWORT-  This is excellent for cramps, as well as the irritability and headaches associated with PMS.    Make a tea with 2 tsp of dried herb in a cup of boiling water and steep for 10min.  Or mix 10-15 drops of extract in warm liquid and drink 3xday. PARSLEY-Here’s a diuretic that will also leave you with fresh breath.  Mix 2 tsp of dried leaves in a cup of boiling water and steep for 15min.  Drink 3xday. WARNING:  PREGNANT AND NURSING WOMEN SHOULD NOT USE THIS HERB. RED RASPBERRY LEAVES-  This is an excellent anti-spasmodic that alleviates cramps.   One tsp steep 10 min in a cup of boiling water makes an excellent tea.  Drink one cup a day. THIS HERB IS GREAT FOR NURSING WOMEN. Also, not in this book, is Nettle Tea.  It is a equalizer.  It will equalize the amounts of progesterone and estrogen in your system, which, I believe, is a cause of PMS.  It will also equalize blood pressure.  I take the capsule, 2 capsule 2-3xday.  You can also drink the tea.  Steep 2 tsp to a cup of boiling water 10-15 min and drink 2-3xday. Hope you haven’t fallen asleep already.  I also hope this is useful. Take care, Phoenix — And she rose from the ashes of her past… http://people.delphi.com/sphynx/sfs/index.htm ICQ 24933714            xgrmpflmprxyzzz 87%dragon!  Fanatic When replying, "nospam" must be removed from this address.

Response:

Just a little bit to add if you dont mind. I work in a coed atmosphere. Instead of saying p.m.s or its that time, we say" the painters are coming" lookout!!!!! In Ojibway Fist nations,  that time is refereed to as  the "moon time" Dar – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Okay, the fellows and the ladies that don’t want to read a discussion about PMS, periods, symptoms, etc, might want to pick now to get out. Alright, you’ve been warned! Hi Liz. I didn’t realize until very recently that I HAD PMS.  I find that as I get older, the symptoms, which never bothered me when I was younger that I am aware of are getting worse and so is cramping which also didn’t bug me. Well, when I was younger, PMS was still supposedly ‘all in our heads’, so though I had cramping and a fair bit of pain and got quite emotional, I didn’t know it was PMS. After I had my kids, I had my tubes tied.  That’s when I noticed it started getting worse.  They couldn’t do one of those nice little laparoscopic surgeries, too many adhesions and too much scar tissue (which the doc already knew about and he and I both concluded it was likely from the abuse. It was there when I had surgery when I was 19).  So, probably, I ended up adding to the scar tissue and adhesions by having the surgery.  It was my choice, though.  I couldn’t take the pill, and didn’t want to have 10 kids in 11 years.  ;-) As I get older, it does, definitely, get worse.  Matter of fact, I’m calling the doctor today, to make an appointment, to talk to him about it. My problem is I don’t realize I am PMSing until well into it….and if anyone says anything to me along the lines of ‘getting ready to start your period’ I growl at them until they go away.  i feel kind of…I don’t know. Hopeless. My husband has gotten smart about it.  Now he just says to me, "By the way, what’s the date?"  When I ask why, he just says, "Oh, just wondering."  He knows I’ll catch on, and I’ll laugh, too.  He’s good about stuff like that. If I’m particularly angry and stuff, he just goes bowling alot.  hehehe.  I guess he learned something in 23 years. I find the emotional effects of PMS do seem to get worse, as I’ve gotten into my mid to late 30’s.  I get so angry, over such stupid stuff.  I cry easily, but that’s something I have done anyway, since I got in touch with my emotions.  Never used to do either, get angry or cry, at all.  PMS makes it worse. Also, starting about 3 or 4 years ago, I get cyclical migraines.  They are different than the other migraines, in that they are more intense, don’t respond as well to medication, and last for days. My periods are quite regular, so I have the advantage of knowing when it’s coming, and knowing I’m PMSing, when my emotions become difficult to deal with.  I do tend to isolate myself, during that time, somewhat.  I don’t like to be hurtful to others, even those I don’t like.  It makes me feel like I am out of control and they know it.  I don’t like others seeing that, feels like they know my weakness, you know?  So learning to identify when I’m PMSing, and stopping myself from acting out at that time, has become important for me. I AM trying the b complex vitamins and rose something or other that is supposed to help.  Also, to be real honest, a stiff drink does wonders. I take a ’stress tab’ type of multivitamin, I think they help somewhat. Also, I take zoloft, for depression, and I find that does have an effect on the hopelessness and the anger.  Have you ever tried an anti-depressant? They help for more than just depression.  Zoloft is the third one, I’ve been on.  I couldn’t take prozac, it made me sick.  Paxil had some nasty ’sexual dysfunction’ side effects, but zoloft has worked wonders for me. But yeah, sometimes, a stiff drink works wonders. Do you find it got worse with you as you got older? Yes, yes, yes!!!! Not only has the PMS become more intense, but I have a lot more cramping and pain.  The cyclical migraines didn’t start until I was in my mid-30s.  On top of that, my periods have gotten longer, heavier and more painful.  7-9 days is toooo long!!  Last few months my cycle has been shortening, too, from my usual 28 days, to 21.  That is not fun!!! ;-P That’s why I decided I had better see the doctor.  I have heard that can be a sign of being pre-menopausal. (I can only hope!!!) rosee Liz http://www.geocities.com/wellesley/7368 A closed mind gathers no thoughts. -Anonymous friend — For more information about this posting service, contact: If you want an anonymous account, visit our sign-up page: http://asarian-host.org/emailform.html

Response:

Hi rosee Yep I find as I get older the cramping gets worse and the flow is heavier, although I put some of that down to the fact that I am taking aspirin to thin my blood. I find that if I am having bad cramps that I am not so irritable and the times I am really irritable I am not in as much pain. Like you I hope I do not have much longer to go before they go away Ruth — Today, is the tomorrow, you worried about yesterday. Anonymous

| Okay, the fellows and the ladies that don’t want to read a discussion about | PMS, periods, symptoms, etc, might want to pick now to get out. | | Alright, you’ve been warned! | | | Hi Liz. |

| I didn’t realize until very recently that I HAD PMS.  I find that as I get | older, the symptoms, which never bothered me when I was younger that I am | aware | of are getting worse and so is cramping which also didn’t bug me. | | Well, when I was younger, PMS was still supposedly ‘all in our heads’, so | though I had cramping and a fair bit of pain and got quite emotional, I | didn’t know it was PMS. | | After I had my kids, I had my tubes tied.  That’s when I noticed it started | getting worse.  They couldn’t do one of those nice little laparoscopic | surgeries, too many adhesions and too much scar tissue (which the doc | already knew about and he and I both concluded it was likely from the abuse. | It was there when I had surgery when I was 19).  So, probably, I ended up | adding to the scar tissue and adhesions by having the surgery.  It was my | choice, though.  I couldn’t take the pill, and didn’t want to have 10 kids | in 11 years.  ;-) | | As I get older, it does, definitely, get worse.  Matter of fact, I’m calling | the doctor today, to make an appointment, to talk to him about it. | | | My problem is I don’t realize I am PMSing until well into it….and if | anyone | says anything to me along the lines of ‘getting ready to start your | period’ I | growl at them until they go away.  i feel kind of…I don’t know. | Hopeless. | | My husband has gotten smart about it.  Now he just says to me, "By the way, | what’s the date?"  When I ask why, he just says, "Oh, just wondering."  He | knows I’ll catch on, and I’ll laugh, too.  He’s good about stuff like that. | | If I’m particularly angry and stuff, he just goes bowling alot.  hehehe.  I | guess he learned something in 23 years. | | I find the emotional effects of PMS do seem to get worse, as I’ve gotten | into my mid to late 30’s.  I get so angry, over such stupid stuff.  I cry | easily, but that’s something I have done anyway, since I got in touch with | my emotions.  Never used to do either, get angry or cry, at all.  PMS makes | it worse. | | Also, starting about 3 or 4 years ago, I get cyclical migraines.  They are | different than the other migraines, in that they are more intense, don’t | respond as well to medication, and last for days. | | My periods are quite regular, so I have the advantage of knowing when it’s | coming, and knowing I’m PMSing, when my emotions become difficult to deal | with.  I do tend to isolate myself, during that time, somewhat.  I don’t | like to be hurtful to others, even those I don’t like.  It makes me feel | like I am out of control and they know it.  I don’t like others seeing that, | feels like they know my weakness, you know?  So learning to identify when | I’m PMSing, and stopping myself from acting out at that time, has become | important for me. | | | I AM trying the b complex vitamins and rose something or other that is | supposed | to help.  Also, to be real honest, a stiff drink does wonders. | | I take a ’stress tab’ type of multivitamin, I think they help somewhat. | Also, I take zoloft, for depression, and I find that does have an effect on | the hopelessness and the anger.  Have you ever tried an anti-depressant? | They help for more than just depression.  Zoloft is the third one, I’ve been | on.  I couldn’t take prozac, it made me sick.  Paxil had some nasty ’sexual | dysfunction’ side effects, but zoloft has worked wonders for me. | | But yeah, sometimes, a stiff drink works wonders. | | | Do you find it got worse with you as you got older? | | Yes, yes, yes!!!! | | Not only has the PMS become more intense, but I have a lot more cramping and | pain.  The cyclical migraines didn’t start until I was in my mid-30s.  On | top of that, my periods have gotten longer, heavier and more painful.  7-9 | days is toooo long!!  Last few months my cycle has been shortening, too, | from my usual 28 days, to 21.  That is not fun!!! ;-P | | That’s why I decided I had better see the doctor.  I have heard that can be | a sign of being pre-menopausal. (I can only hope!!!) | | rosee | | | | | Liz | http://www.geocities.com/wellesley/7368 | A closed mind gathers no thoughts. -Anonymous friend | | | | | | — | For more information about this posting service, contact: | administrator | | If you want an anonymous account, visit our sign-up page: | | http://asarian-host.org/emailform.html

Response:

hehe rosee, i’m sure the guys appreciated the warning i just had my first PMS 2 weeks ago. (and i’m 32!!) all those years that i had PCOS undiagnosed, and before that even, never had a "normal" period. (never had enough estrogen.) i thought i was just blessed! 3 days light spotting, no cramps, came around every 6 to 9 weeks, sometimes longer. then my endocrinologist and gyn. started me on BC pills, ones with a "high estrogen producing effect." at first all i had was that breakthrough bleeding, then spotting, but no periods. then 2 weeks ago … i had a period! and i got all bloated up, i whined and cried for 2 days, and i had the nastiest bouts of cramps. YECCCCH!! first thing i said when i saw the endocrinologist last week was "thanks a LOT! PPPP~~~" he laughed, he said most of his patients say the same thing, hehe. at least i don’t get angry or bitchy *knock wood* just cry a lot. well, if this makes me fertile in the long run, i guess it’s worth it. ironic that i have to be on birth control for a year, to become fertile. but i gotta say, there are benefits to androgen and testosterone except for leg shaving, that was a real bitch. my leg and arm hair has gotten much lighter and very fine, the dr. says that’s how they can follow my hormonal progress. so, i shave less, i bleed more peace and laughter, karmagrrl

Response:

I can identify with you PMS problems.  As I told Liz, if anyone wants some herbal remedies for PMS I’ll do my best to email em to you, or post them if no one minds.  I had found (when I was having periods) that these worked for me, in varying degrees, and it shouldn’t hurt to try them.  Let me know if you want to take me up on the offer. LIZ! (IF you are reading this) If I missed a post from you saying you would like to try it, I apologize, just email me the request again, please.  I am still having ISP problems. Take care, Phoenix – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Okay, the fellows and the ladies that don’t want to read a discussion about PMS, periods, symptoms, etc, might want to pick now to get out. Alright, you’ve been warned! Hi Liz. I didn’t realize until very recently that I HAD PMS.  I find that as I get older, the symptoms, which never bothered me when I was younger that I am aware of are getting worse and so is cramping which also didn’t bug me. Well, when I was younger, PMS was still supposedly ‘all in our heads’, so though I had cramping and a fair bit of pain and got quite emotional, I didn’t know it was PMS. After I had my kids, I had my tubes tied.  That’s when I noticed it started getting worse.  They couldn’t do one of those nice little laparoscopic surgeries, too many adhesions and too much scar tissue (which the doc already knew about and he and I both concluded it was likely from the abuse. It was there when I had surgery when I was 19).  So, probably, I ended up adding to the scar tissue and adhesions by having the surgery.  It was my choice, though.  I couldn’t take the pill, and didn’t want to have 10 kids in 11 years.  ;-) As I get older, it does, definitely, get worse.  Matter of fact, I’m calling the doctor today, to make an appointment, to talk to him about it. My problem is I don’t realize I am PMSing until well into it….and if anyone says anything to me along the lines of ‘getting ready to start your period’ I growl at them until they go away.  i feel kind of…I don’t know. Hopeless. My husband has gotten smart about it.  Now he just says to me, "By the way, what’s the date?"  When I ask why, he just says, "Oh, just wondering."  He knows I’ll catch on, and I’ll laugh, too.  He’s good about stuff like that. If I’m particularly angry and stuff, he just goes bowling alot.  hehehe.  I guess he learned something in 23 years. I find the emotional effects of PMS do seem to get worse, as I’ve gotten into my mid to late 30’s.  I get so angry, over such stupid stuff.  I cry easily, but that’s something I have done anyway, since I got in touch with my emotions.  Never used to do either, get angry or cry, at all.  PMS makes it worse. Also, starting about 3 or 4 years ago, I get cyclical migraines.  They are different than the other migraines, in that they are more intense, don’t respond as well to medication, and last for days. My periods are quite regular, so I have the advantage of knowing when it’s coming, and knowing I’m PMSing, when my emotions become difficult to deal with.  I do tend to isolate myself, during that time, somewhat.  I don’t like to be hurtful to others, even those I don’t like.  It makes me feel like I am out of control and they know it.  I don’t like others seeing that, feels like they know my weakness, you know?  So learning to identify when I’m PMSing, and stopping myself from acting out at that time, has become important for me. I AM trying the b complex vitamins and rose something or other that is supposed to help.  Also, to be real honest, a stiff drink does wonders. I take a ’stress tab’ type of multivitamin, I think they help somewhat. Also, I take zoloft, for depression, and I find that does have an effect on the hopelessness and the anger.  Have you ever tried an anti-depressant? They help for more than just depression.  Zoloft is the third one, I’ve been on.  I couldn’t take prozac, it made me sick.  Paxil had some nasty ’sexual dysfunction’ side effects, but zoloft has worked wonders for me. But yeah, sometimes, a stiff drink works wonders. Do you find it got worse with you as you got older? Yes, yes, yes!!!! Not only has the PMS become more intense, but I have a lot more cramping and pain.  The cyclical migraines didn’t start until I was in my mid-30s.  On top of that, my periods have gotten longer, heavier and more painful.  7-9 days is toooo long!!  Last few months my cycle has been shortening, too, from my usual 28 days, to 21.  That is not fun!!! ;-P That’s why I decided I had better see the doctor.  I have heard that can be a sign of being pre-menopausal. (I can only hope!!!) rosee Liz http://www.geocities.com/wellesley/7368 A closed mind gathers no thoughts. -Anonymous friend — For more information about this posting service, contact: If you want an anonymous account, visit our sign-up page: http://asarian-host.org/emailform.html

– And she rose from the ashes of her past… http://people.delphi.com/sphynx/sfs/index.htm ICQ 24933714            xgrmpflmprxyzzz 87%dragon!  Fanatic When replying, "nospam" must be removed from this address.

Response:

Question:

The FDA has issued a new warning on the nonsedating antihistamine Hismanal. See FDA Talk Paper: "T98-5                       Ivy Fleischer Kupec:  301-827-6242 Feb. 9, 1998                Broadcast Media:      301-827-3434                             Consumer Inquiries:   800-532-4440  IMPORTANT NEW SAFETY INFORMATION ABOUT HISMANAL FDA today is warning consumers and health care providers about new safety information regarding the prescription antihistamine Hismanal (astemizole). This warning is being issued in conjunction with the addition of more information in the product label about cardiovascular adverse events, new potentially serious drug interactions and rare reports of anaphylaxis, a potentially life-threatening reaction. The following can be used to answer questions: Hismanal is associated with risks of death due to irregular heart rhythms when taken with certain other drugs and when used at higher than the recommended labeled dose. The new labeling provides information about a specific warning against simultaneously using Hismanal with other types of drugs such as the hypertension drug, Posicor (mibefradil dihydrochloride), and the antibiotics, Biaxin (clarithromycin) and TAO (troleandomycin). The new labeling also provides additional precautions against using Hismanal with a number of other drugs. These include: HIV protease inhibitors such as Crixivan (indinavir), Norvir (ritonavir), Invirase (saquinavir) and Viracept (elfinavir); serotonin reuptake inhibitors such as Prozac (fluoxetine), Luvox (fluvoxamine), Zoloft (sertraline), Serzone (nefazodone) and Paxil (paroxetine); and the antiasthma medication Zyflo (zileuton). Additionally, the label now recommends that Hismanal should not be taken with grapefruit juice. These recommendations are based on the potential of these drugs and grapefruit juice to interfere with the body’s handling and metabolism of Hismanal. The new labeling also emphasizes that patients with liver disorders should not take Hismanal. The new labeling is designed to give health care providers and consumers who use Hismanal the latest available information about these risks. In the event of Hismanal-related adverse events, health care providers are urged to contact the manufacturer, Janssen Pharmaceuticals One-to-One Customer Action Center at 1-800-JANSSEN (526-7736) or FDA MedWatch at (phone) 1-800-FDA-1088, (fax) 1-800-FDA-1078 or (mail) FDA, HF-2, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20857. #### "

Response:

Thanks for the Warning, I already new about the Grapefruit juice. I just started Hismanal a few months ago.  Doesn’t do much for the itchy eyes, but it dries the heck out of my nose and mouth. Thank god my air-purifier is plugged in! _____ Environmental Consultant:  Management of Indoor Quality air.  MY Primary Management is on setting up Home-Businesses for people with little or no money                                              1-800-481-3181  

Response: